Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1921-07-16
Curing Sweet Potatoes

Ouflng sweet potatoes
spoil? Surprise will be evidenced
that this has ever occurred. Not
only has 1t happened "nce, but for
many years in succession. Even
last year from one-third 20 one-half
OF our sweet potatoes rotted after
they were harvested. Thus, the
growers were deprived of an income
approximating several million dol
lars year, and the people Of this
and adjoining states were denied the
privilege of adding an important and
desirable food to their daily dietary.
is 1t true that we cannot preserve
the sweet potato and that this out
rageous waste must continue? Not
at all. There Is no reason why we
should not save from 80 to 80 per
cent Of this crop. 1t will not cost
as much to do this as many might
suppose. Storage houses, properly
built, will keep sweet potatoes sat
isfactorily for several months. These
structures are not so costly as to be
prohibitive. This is certainly true If
they are built on q cooperative
basis. the only wise and sensible
policy to pursue under existing con-
sweet potato storage house for
your own use and if there is not one
In your community, the time has ar
rived when you should give con-
sideration to this problem.
This subject has been peer investigaited d
division of the Georgia State college
of Agriculture and very specific and
definite recommendations have been
submitted relative to this subject
The suggestions offered below lndi-
cate how to store and cure sweet Pc.
tatoes and build structures that will
enable the attainment of this very
desirable end.
Plans and specifications for all
sorts and types Of houses viii be
furnished Georgia farmers free OF
cost on application to the college At
great opportunity to secure the serv,
ice you may need along this line and
let us save and properly market the
sweet potato crop produced in 1921.
It is very desirable to keep sweet
potatoes throughout the winter ana
mer months This Is obvious. The
most practical way to do this is by
the use of storage house IN Wnlcn
the temperature can be controlled by
ventilation. The plans required can
be secured free of cost upon applica..
ton to the Georgia State College, Of
Agriculture This storage house mas
been used successfully in Georgia. IL
IS called commonly a dry kiln
house on account of the practice OF
Crying out the pOIdIOcS Ny use
stoves when they are first carried
into the house. To keep sweet po-
tatoes successfully year after year.
the following precautions should De
taken:
/. Have them well matured when
dug, but dig before frost.
2 Handle very carefully from the
time the harvesting is started until
the potatoes are on the. market.
8. Dry well on putting into the
this purpose, keeping the tempera-
ture near, but not over IS to 80
per cent Fahrenheit for about ten
days 49,, ..
keep at uniform temperature OF %
degrees This is where the storage
house built according to the plans
suggested comes into use. It will
be observed on looking at the plans
that a double wall with a six-inch
air space is provided. This is dead
air space which prevents rapid
air is very poor conductor Of heat
Windows should be so built as to
make it possible to close them very
securely. In addition to having glass,
1t would help materially for CONTROL
ing the temperature to have tight
During very cold weather the tenn
perature is kept Up to 55 degrees by
opening the house in the middle of
the day and closing at nj ht. In
warm weather, when the tempera-
ture goes above the desired SIS . de-
grees, the house is closed securely,
all except the ventilator in the roof,
during the daytime and opened at
night Before the temperature be-
gins to rise above IS degrees. close
the house again. The cool night low
ers the temperature in the storage
house, and by closing it in the day
time, the low temperature is held
until the next night.
s. Do not move the potatoes after
they have been placed in the storage
house, as any movement after they
have been cured will tend to spread
disease. Wait until ready to market
to resort or re-pack.
Build storage house Of wood, brick,
stone, hollow tile, concrete blocks or
reinforced concrete. Never use a
"dugout' as it is both expensive and
cannot be kept dry. The wooden
house must be placed twelve Of fif-
teen inches above ground SO that the