The Tomahawk. [volume] (White Earth, Becker County, Minn.) 1903-192?, 1924-08-28
STORING CROPS '
FOR WINTER USE
Careful and Conscientious Hand
ling in Harvesting and Market
ing Will Pay Good Dividends.

Edited by the Agricultural Extension
Dept. University Of Minnesota.
Authorities among horticulturists
and vegetable growers agree that tenn
perature, humidity, and exclusion Of
light are outstanding factors in the
keeping Of potatoes through the win
ter. The best storage temperature for
table or seed potatoes is one that will
keep them in a dormant condition and
preserve their edible quality and their
vigor for seed purposes with minimum
decay and moisture losses. Proper
temperatures for potatoes are from "a
to 40 degrees F.
not be so high as to deposit moisture
film on the surface of the tuber or so
low as to cause an unnecessary loss
Of moisture through Transportation.
Thorough ventilation is essential for
the best preservation of seed stock and
the reduction of storage losses. Ex-
clusion of light Is a very essential fea-
ture in the storage of table stock.
II potatoes are not we'll matured,
they should not be put into bins i'm
mediately, but allowed to sweat and
dry out on the barn foor or any dry
place where there is good ventilation.
Great care should be taken not to
bruise or otherwise damage the po-
tatoes in the processes Of harvesting
and storing. Potatoes should not be
dug and left in the sun for an indefi-
mite time. They should not be thrown
roughly from one receptacle to an
other. In fact, they should be han
died the fewest possible number Of
times, for every handling, however
careful, decreases their keeping quail
ity. Particularly bad is the method
Of dumping the potatoes into a wag-
on, redumping into the storage ware
house, reloading into the wagon and
thence into the car. Repeated hand
ling Is certain to reduce greatly the
value of the stock on the market and
add to the cost.
Onions which are not sold at once
should be either left in open crates
or put on shelves or racks in the
storehouse which need not be dark
but should be dry and we'll ventil-
ated. Onions must not freeze, but
the temperature can fall to 30 de-
grees before injury is done. The
grees.
Cabbage may be kept in light or
dark cellar but in the latter it is
likely to bleach. It should not be
stored in piles, but should be placed
either in crates or on shelves where
the ventilation is sufficient to pre-
vent spoilage. The cellar should be
moist, but humidity should never
reach the saturation point The tenn
perature should be kept between 80
and IS degrees. Care should be TAX
en- that all cabbage put into storage
is sound.
Carrots are the most tender Of all
the root crops should be harvested be-
when not too ripe at harvesting time.
Because Of their small size ana COM
pactness when in storage they heat
readily. Heating can be prevented in
most root crops by not using too
large a bin and by having proper
ventilation. To prevent wilt, thin
layer of sawdust or a layer Of straw
and one Of sawdust may be put over
them.
Parsnips and rutabagas are resis-
tant to frost and may be among the
last root crops harvested. Parsnips
may well be stored for sale in the
winter. Beets and turnips are less
resistant to frost and should be har-
vested earlier.