Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1919-08-15

Storing potatoes resembles banking
money, because ordinarily it results
in the potatoes selling for higher
prices .ater in the season when the
supply is not so abundant as at dig
ging time. The potatoes ern divi-
dends while in storage just as money
in the bank accumulateS interest.
If all the potatoes were sold lmme-
diately after digging the prices
would decline, due to the excessive
offerings on the market. This is why
storage is popular. 1t permits or
holding the more or less perishable
potatoes in a salable condition over
as long a period as is economically
desirable Storage also insures a
more uniform market supply through
out the season.
1t is the late or main crop va
ter use. which are stored as the
early or truck crop potatoes. are or
dinarily disposed of directly from
the field as harvested Potato stor--
ages are practically of all types ana
descriptions from primitive shelters,
such as caves or pits, up to rather
elaborate, artificially refrigerated
damental purposes of the storage
house, be 1t simple or elaborate, is to
protect the spuds from extremes OF
cold and heat as wei as from the
light, and under proper conditions OF
humidity and ventilation. Care must
be exercised not to keep the pota-
toes together in large bulk where
the deelopment Of high temperature
and deteriora ton will be favored.
Specialists of the United States de-
partment of agriculture believe tnat
a temperature of about SO degrees
F. is generally low enough for ,pfac-
tical potato storag, and that during
the earlier portion of the storage
season a temperature of 40 degrees
F.. is lust as satisfactory except
where powdery dry rot infection oc-
ours. The freezing point of the po-
tato is between % degrees and 70
degrees +.
Potatoes. when exposed 20 strong
or even moderate light are soon IN
jured for food purposes, and on THIS
account it is essential to exclude the
light from the storage house, al
though exposure to modified nght;
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 whiting of the tubers and at the
same time to maintain humidity
content low enough to prevent de-
post of moisture on the surface OF
the potatoes One investigator sug-
gests a humidity of from IS to 80 per
cent as about correct for potato
storage room temperature OF 81 de-
grees to 35 degrees F. Generous pro-
vision for adequate ventilation must
be made, the ventilators or aid flues
being arranged so as to insure a
rapid and even distribution OF air
throughout the structure.
1t is a bad practice to store pota-
toes in large bins or piles. Not in
frequently the tuberS are heaped to
depth of 10 or Is feet, the pile be-
ing correspondence large in the other
dimensions. Such storage almost in
variably results in violent sweating
or curing, in which the spuds in the
central portion of the pile are fire.
quently subjected to dangerously
high temperature. This is especially
| ture or were not dry and free from
moist soil when gathered, or if stored
when the outside temperature was
high, making it difficult to lower the
| inside temperature of the house. Such
overheating may be avoided by In
throughout the pile.S The division
walls may consist of 2 by 4-inch up
rights, on the 2-inch face of WHICH
are nailed rs by 4-inch strips OF any
desired length, leaving a 1-inch space
between each strip. This PROVIDES q
any height and length desired. BY
placinf these in an upright position
| 5 to 6 feet apart as the bin or Stor-
age house is being filled, good Ventl-
| lation will be secured and an easy
avenue of escape for both heat and
moisture provided.
Use Storage Adapted to Local Needs
In considering the type of storage
| best suited to the needs the grower
| IN IND In "a n I q
| and rain or snow likely to occur dur
| ing the storage period, the character
and cost of the material involved,
| the nature of the soil and drainage,
and the length of the storage period
Potatoes may be successfully stored
in pits if provided with good drain
ago and given sufficient covering to
! insulate them against extreme heat
and cold, well-drained site being
essential. It is usually not advisable
to excavate more than inches, max
ing the pit long and narrow rather
than square in shape. 1t is inadvisa-
BILE to store a large bulk of potatoes
in one pit.
The potatoes are stored over a
light layer of straw on the floor,
cold and heat by covering the spuds
with alternate layers of straw or
hay and soil. During the late fall,
as the weather grows colder, moro
straw. as well as more soil, should
be added to form protective over
coat for the potatoes. Each layer
of straw when compacted should be
approximately inches thick. while
the final layer of soil should be 6 ITO
inches deep, depending upon wealth
er conditions. Ventilation may be
provided by means Of a wooden flue,
the lower end of which extends al
most to the bottom of the pit, while
the upper end should project wei
above the covering, the valve being
equipped with wooden cap to pre-