Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1921-12-27
The Practicability of Sweet Potato
Curing House


The Practicability of Sweet Potato
Curing House
J. I. S., Atlanta, Ga, writes:
would like your views about
the practicability Of building a
sweet potato curing plant in
connection with a small cannery.
DO you think it could be made a
paying proposition?
The cost of building a sweet pota-
to house will vary, according to the
type and size of structure you wish
to put up. Buildings that will an
swer for the purpose can be erect
ed rather cheaply as to first cost.
They are not of permanent type,
however, and would need to under
go considerable repair from time to
time. The very best type of struc-
ture to erect is a concrete house. One
capable of holding 10000 bushels
in crates would have to be 40x70X13
feet. The walls, gables and parti-
tons of cement should be 6 inches
thick. The proper reinforcing of
the structure is an important mat
ter. A house of this character will
cost anywhere between $4,000 and
$500. A good deal depends on the
economy with which the material is
purchased and the skill with which
the structure is erected A great
deal of labor and effort can be vast
ed.
We are in position to supply plans
for almost any type or size of house
free of cost and can send one of
our field men to aid in supervising
the erection of such q structure.
Small wooden houses capable of hold
ing say 600 bushels can be erected
at a cost of probably $3.50 to $3.50.
Larger houses will cost relatively
less than small structures in pro
portion to size.
There is no reason why one end
of sweet potato curing house could
not be so arranged as to be used
as a canning plant.
Sweet potatoes can be kept &C
ceptably in storage houses provided
they are properly dug, selected, cur
ed and handled after storage. There
is no question about this. On the
other hand, many potatoes put into
storage houses this fall will very
likely rot and the owners lose mon
ey on the enterprise. This is due
to the fact that they neglected to
give attention and consideration to
many essential facts of which we
have endeavored to advise them. 1t
learn save through the school of
hard knocks. / believe a sweet po-
tato storage plant of the right type
can be made to pay a satisfactory
dividend. The earnings will vary
from year to year, but there is no
reason why it should not pay good
interest on the capital invested if
properly managed. The fact that
many storage houses have not done
this in the past or may not do so
in the future does not alter the sit
uation.
There is the possibility that the
building of sweet potato storage
houses may be over-done in Geor-
gia if the idea is to sell the crop pro-
duced outside the state. The fact
is, we have not enough storage
iAOhioSo " LIlS SlOpo SIoWl
locally and which if cured in such
structures could be made to supply
the needs of the communities for
several months. In other words,
there are several types of storage
houses which might be erected with
satisfaction. First, there is the
commercial type, built for the pur-
pose of curing potatoes to be sold
outside the state. Second, there is
the type built for the purpose of sup
plying the larger markets within the
state; and, third, there is the type
built, for use as a local storage
house. You can see that some of
these would be strictly commercial
enterprises. Others might be co.
operative or community enterprises.
1 believe the storage house of the
cooperative type in every commu.
nifty is desirable, and also that can.
merry can be operated in many Sec
tons to advantage. Before building
a cannery, however, I would deter
mine what crops are best to put
up, and then 1 think the manager
OF the cannery should make con
tracts with farmers in the vicinity
of the cannery for growing those
crops. Only standard strains should
be grown, because quality is one Of
the important facts TO bear in mind
in connection with such an enter
prise.