88 TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO BULLETIN. [XIX. 



VEGETABLES. 



STORING SWEET POTATOES. 



By L. a. Beuxtox, 



Assistant Superintendent of St. Angnstine Experiment Station. 



An experiment in storing sweet potatoes was made last year at the 

 Experiment Station, St. Augustine. 



Two lots of potatoes, one of 400 pounds and one of 200 pounds, were 

 stored separately on March 6 and 11 respectively, just after having 

 been dug, the method employed being as follows : — 



A flat level piece of ground was selected upon which a thick bedding,, 

 six inches in depth, of thoroughly,' dry banana leaves was spread ; upon 

 this the potatoes were heaped to form a cone, and covered with a layer- 

 of dried banana leaves six inches thick ; finally the heap was covered 

 with four inches of earth well beaten down and smoothed over. To 

 ensure thorough drainage a trench was dug around the heap. For the 

 purpose of ventilation a bamboo pipe was inserted in each heap, to 

 allow the escape of heated air during the first fortnight, the projecting^ 

 end being fitted with a plug. 



On April 16 one month later both heaps were, opened, when half 

 the contents of the 400 pounds heap were found to be rotten, the sound 

 potatoes being generally on the outside of the heap, these were repacked 

 in layers, dry banana leaves being placed between each layer, recovered 

 with dry trasii and soil as before, and left for another month, when 

 reopened on May 20 all the potatoes were rotten. 



The potatoes of the 200 pounds heap, which was opened on the same- 

 dates, were, with a few exceptions, found to be sound ; reopened a month 

 later, on June 12 the i)otatoes were still in good condition, and when 

 finally opened on July 8, feur months after storing, although some 

 root growth had taken place, they were still perfectly sonnd, palatable, 

 potatoes, cooking dry and floury, and with an excellent flavour. 



The loss in weight due to drying and the few which had rotted 

 amounted to 40 per cent. 



The rainfall at the Government Farm, St. Joseph, during the period 

 of this experiment was as follows : — 



March— 1-26 inches. May —0-20 inches. To July 8th— 2-04 inches. 

 April —Nil. June -6-42 „ 



It is therefore apparent that sweet potatoes can be stored for four 

 months, provided the heaps are moderate in size, and the contents are 

 kept from direct contact with the soil by a liberal covering of dry trash.. 



An experiment on a larger scale is in progress this year. 



