STORING POTATOES. 



125 



The potatoes may be put into sacks for conveyance to the 

 clamp, or simply be thrown into carts as raised, and 

 brought loose. On wet soils the tubers should be placed 

 on the surface arid a trench dug round as per diagram to 

 drain away the water. 



B 





SECTION OF A POTATO CLAMP. 



A The tnbers. B A layer of clean straw. C Layer of soil. E A trench dug 

 round the clamp to drain away moisture. The soil removed is used to cover 

 the clamp, as shown at C. 



Covering 1 the Clamp. As a first covering to the 

 potatoes put a thick layer of dry straw, so thick that when 

 pressed down by the soil it will still be six inches deep. 

 Then give a six-inch layer of soil, making the surface firm 

 with the spade. For convenience the soil for this is gener- 

 ally dug from close around the clamp, the spits or spade- 

 fuls being taken up solid, and built up round the clamp on 

 the top of the straw. Chimneys or shafts must be left in 

 the ridge for ventilation, at intervals of about six feet. The 

 usual way of making these is by digging a hole through the 

 soil of the ridge, and pulling through a handful of straw, 

 leaving it sticking out from the top of the clamp. These 

 chimneys are to allow the escape of heated air, generated 

 by the fermentation which is sure to take place when the 



