The evening Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1918-1920, 1919-08-02

mon, because ordinarily it results il
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 IL
storage just as money in the banl
accumulates interest. Ii all the pota
toes were sold immediately after dig
ging the prices would decline, ouc
to the excessive offerings on the mar
! ket. This is why stoIa re IS popular
1t permits OF holding the more OIL
less pcrlShablc potatoes IN salable
condition over as long period as
is economically desirable. Storage
also lnsures more uniform market
supply throughout the season.
IC is the late or main crop varieties
of spuds, intended for winter use
when are stored as the early OF
truck crop potatoes are ordinarily
disposed Oh directly from the field as
harvested. Potato storages are prac-
tically OF all types and descriptions
from primitive shelters, such as caves
OF pits, up to rather elaborate, artlfl-
cially refrigerated storage houses
| However, the fundamental purpose
of the storage house, be it simple OIL
elaborate, is to protect these spuds
from extremes OF cold and heat as
we'll as from the light, and under
proper conditions OF humidity and
ventilation. Care must be exercised
not to keep the potatoes together IN
large bulk where the development OF
high temperature and deterioration
VIII be favored.
Specialists OF the United States De
parLment of Agriculture believe that
a temperature of about SO degrees f.
is generally low enough for practical
potato storage, and that during the
earlier portion of the storage season
a temperature of 40 degrees f. is just
as satisfactory except where powdery
dry rot infection occurs. The freez-
ing point of the potato is between
28 degrees and 26 degrees f.
Potatoes, when exposed to 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 light,
where the spuds are kept cool and
we'll aired, is not injurious to tubers
intended for speed purposes.
Protect Potatoes Against whiting
There should be SUFFICIENT moisture
in the potato storage house to pre-
vent the willing of the tubers md at
the same ume to maintain a humid
ity content low enough to prevent a
deposit of moisture on the surface OF
the potatoes. One investigator sug-
gests humidity of from IS to 80 per
cent as about correct for potato
storage from temperature of ~ de-
grees to 35 degrees F. Generous
provision for adequate ventilation
must be made, the ventilators or air
flues being arranged SO as to in
sure a rapid and even distribution OF
air throughout the structure.
1t is bad practice to store potatoes
in large bins OF piles. Not lntre-
quently the tubers are heaped to
depth of 10 or Is feet, the pile being
correspondingly large in the other
dimensions. Such storage almost IN
variably results in violent sweating
of curing, in which the spuds in the
central portion of the pile are ire
quently subjected to dangerously
high temperature. This is especially
true if the tubers are slightly imma-'
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 insert
ing division walls at intervals
throughout the pile. The division
walls may consist of 2 by a inch up
rights, on the inch face of which are
nailed 7-8 by inch strips of any de-
sired length leaving l inch space
between each strip. This provides a
ventilated partition, which can be of
any height and length desired. By
placing these in an upright position
5 to 6 feet apart as the bin or storage
house is being filled, good ventilation
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
should bear in mind the temperature
and rain OF 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. Po-
tatoes may be successfully stored inf
pits if provided with good drainage
and given sufficient covering to insu-
late them against extreme heat and
cold, a we'll drained site being essen
tiaI. 1t is usually not advisable to
the pit long and narrow rather than
excavate more than inches, making
square in shape. 1t is not advisable
to store a large bulk of potatoes in
one pit.
The potatoes are stored over a