The citizen., 1920-10-21
SWEET POTATOES
Harvesting and Storage


Sweet potatoes grown for early
markets may be harvested as soon as
they reach sufficient size. Late crops
should be harvested before a heavy
frost is expected or as soon as possi-
BILE after a frost kills the vines.
When the vines are killed and it is
impossible to dig the potatoes at once,
the vines should be removed in order
to prevent decay from going down
into the hill Of potatoes. II a heavy
freeze is expected, loose soil should
be thrown over the row.
Sweet potatoes may be dug with .
spading fork, a plow, or a digger
made for the purpose. Where a
small crop is to be dug, a spading
fork is satisfactory, but for large
crop a pillow or digger should be used
In using a turnplow, the moldboard
should be removed, to prevent cover
ing the potatoes as they are thrown
out. A rolling Golfer attached to the
beam of the plow or digger for cut
ting the vines will be found advan-
tageous. Great care should be ex-
ercised in digging and handling
sweet potatoes to prevent bruising
them, as a bruised potato is more
liable to rot than one not injured.
After the potatoes are dug they
should be left exposed to the air for
two or three hours, or until the soil
falls off in handling. They should
not be left exposed to the sun very
long and should not be left out over
night. When dry, the potatoes
should be picked up and placed in
harvesting crates or baskets. These
crates or baskets should be padded,
to prevent bruising the potatoes. 1t
is best to pick up the marketable po-
tatoes first and then go over the field
and pick up the culls and small roots.
Seed potatoes should be selected a.
digging time and should be stored
separately.
Sweet potatoes which are to be
kept for winter use should be hauled
direct from the field to the storage
house or storage pit. They will keep
better in a storage house than
in pit, as the temperature
and humidity in the house can
be controlled. The storage house
should be so built that the tempera-
ture can be kept quite uniform and
good ventilation secured. AS soon
as the potatoes are put in the house
they should undergo a curing or dry
ing process. This drying or curing is
accomplished by heat and by thorough
ventilation. The temperature of the
house should be at 80 degrees or 80
degrees F. for a period of ten days
or two weeks, or until the potatoes
are dry; but the house must be pro-
vided with vents to carry off the
moisture. After the potatoes are
cured, the temperature should be re-
duced gradually until it reaches 55
degrees F. and kept as near that
point as practicable throughout the
storage period. When the tempera-
lures goes below 48 degrees or so
degrees F., the house should be
opened during the warm part of the
day or a fire started in the house.
When the temperature goes above 60
degrees F., the house should be
opened when the air outside is cooler
than the interior of the house. The
house shouli be ventilated on bright
Gays, but keep closed on cloudy or
rainy days. The potatoes in the
house should not be handled until
they are needed for market, as hand
ling Injuries them and makes them
more susceptible to diseases. Even
when the potatoes begin to decay, 1t |
is not advisable to sort them, as this
extra handling spreads the disease.