THE POTATO. 83 



wards gather the smaller sizes and those to be saved for seed. Sacks 

 should be distributed the entire length of the field, and have the pickers 

 each take a row and work abreast, with one man to shake down the sacks 

 and sew them. This man should see that the pickers do their work well, 

 and not permit them to put in small, scabby dr inferior potatoes with 

 those intended for market. Carelessness in this particular will tell when 

 the crop is placed on sale. If they are to be stored, then the best way is 

 to gather all little and big and run them into dugouts or cellars made 

 for that purpose, where they can be sorted in the winter time, when labor 

 is much cheaper. 



In this way, the yield can be harvested for one-third less than it can 

 be when they are sorted and sacked at digging time. Potatoes will keep 

 well in Colorado through the winter in dugouts, cellars or warehouses, 

 either sacked or loose, with protection against freezing, and with ventil- 

 ation on mild days. With these precautions they will go through from 

 October to March with from 3J to 5 per cent, shrinkage, as they scarcely 

 ever rot in this dry climate. 



POTATO CELLAR. 



Every farmer or potato grower, to any extent, should have a "dug- 

 out" cellar. This can be constructed with little expense, compared with 

 other buildings. A site should be selected near which water will not 

 have to run. Excavations can be done mostly with team and scraper, and 

 should be made to the depth of five or six feet. In dimensions, the cellar 

 should be twice as long as wide, and if the earth is left sloping all around 

 the inside of the excavation, no walling-up will be necessary. 



Make wide doors in the south end, and scoop out a run-way for some 

 distance back from the entrance, so that loads can be easily hauled out of 

 the cellar with teams. 



Set two rows of posts six by six, eight feet high, about eight feet apart 

 lengthwise of the cellar, and one-third distance from each i-ide put string- 

 ers ou top, running lengthwise. For rafters, large sized poles or small 

 logs may be used, placing them the same distances apart across the top, 

 from one bent to another. Cover first with boards, then straw, after 

 which place a foot or so of dirt on top. Before the roof is completed, 

 spouts should be placed along each side, say ten feet apart, which will 

 secure ventilation, and also to use in shooting the potatoes into the cellar.* 



*NOTE The illustration only shows the shoot on one side. 



