Yerington times. [volume] (Yerington, Nev.) 1907-1932, 1919-12-27
POTATOES IN STORAGE
EARN DIVIDENDS
~. 5. Department Of Agriculture
Special Information Scrvice.)


money, because ordinarily it results in
the potatoes selling for higher prices
later in the season when the supply
is not SO abundant as at digging time.
The potatoes earn dividends while in
storage just as money i'll the bank ac-
cumulates interest. If all the potatoes
were sold Immediately after digging the
prices would decline, due to the ex-
cessive offerings on the market. This
is why storing is popular. 1t permits
Of holding the more or less perishable
potatoes in a salable condition over
as long as is economically desirable.
Storage also insures more uniform
market supply throughout the season
| of spuds, intended for winter USE
| which are stored as the early or truck
crop potatoes are ordinarily disposed
Of directly from the field as harvested.
Potato storages are practically of all
types and descriptions from primitive
shelters, such as caves or pits, up to
rather elaborate, artificially refiger-
ated storage houses. However, the
fundamental purposes of the storage
house, be it simple or elaborate, is
to protect the spuds from extremes of
cold and h eat as we'll as from the light,
and under proper conditions of humid
ity and ventilation. Care must be ex-
ercised not keep the potatoes to-
gether in large bulk where the de-
velopment of high temperature and
deterioration will be favored.
Specialists of the United States De
partment Of Agriculture believe that
temperature of about SO degrees F.
is generally low enough for potato
storage, and that during the early
portion of the season a temperature
of 40 degrees F. is just as satisfactory
except where dry powdery rot infec-
ton occurs. The freezing point of
the potato is between % and 20 de-
grees f.
Potatoes, when exposed to strong OF
even moderate light are soon in
jured for food purposes, and on this
account it is essential to exclude light
from the storage house, although
exposure to modified light, where the
spuds are kept cool and we'll aired, is
not injurious to tubers intended for
seed purposes.
Protect Potatoes Against Whiting
There should be sufficient moisture
in the potato storage house to prevent
the willing of the tubers and at the
same time to maintain humidity
content low enough to prevent a
deposit of moisture on the surface OF
the potatos. One investigator sug-
gests humidity of from IS to 90 per
cent as about correct for potato stor-t
age room temperature of 80 to IS de-
grees F. Generous provisions for ven
tilation must be made, the vcntilators
or air flues being arragned so as to
insure rapid and even distribution Of
air throughout the structure.
1t is bad practice to store potatoes
in large bins or piles. Not infrc
quently the tubers are hcaped to a
depth of 10 to IS feet the pile being
corrcspondingly large in the other di-
mansions in every wey. But such
storage almost invariably results in
violent sweating or curing, in which
the spuds in the central portion OF the
pile are frequently subjected to a
dangerous high temperature. This is
especially true if the tubers are
slightly immature or, were not dry
and free from moist soil when gath
cred, or if stored when the outside
temperature was high, making it diff
ficult to lower the inside tempera
ture of the house. Such overheating
may bv avoided by inserting division
walls at intervals throughout the pile.
The division walls may consist of 2
by 4 inch uprights, on the Pinch face
Of which are nailed 7-8 by inch strips
of any desired length, leaving inch
space between each strip. This pro-
vides ventilated partition, which can
he of anv height and length desired
By placing these in an upright posi-
ton 5 to E feet apart as the bin or
storage house is being filled, good
ventilation will be secured and an
easy avenue for both heat and mois-
ture provided.
Use Storage Adapted to Local Needs
In considering the type of storage