THE POTATO 137 



would hold about 19,200 bushels. It is estimated 

 that a farmer could build a cellar of like capacity 

 for a cash outlay of $900. They estimate the 

 cost of a cellar at from 7 to 30 cents per hundred- 

 weight of potatoes stored — depending on the per- 

 manence of the structure. 



Where large quantities of potatoes are to be 

 handled, it is well to have a switch run to the cellar 

 and load direct from the cellar to the car by use 

 of a small engine and belt to carry the filled sacks. 



Potatoes for seed in Europe are stored in crates, 

 insuring more uniform conditions for each tuber. 



Keeping potatoes in the South is a problem. It 

 is very desirable to keep those grown in the spring 

 for fall planting. In a Bulletin of the Florida Ex- 

 periment Station, J. F, Mitchell says: 



"The method that has proved uniformly suc- 

 cessful at the station has been to take a slat crate, 

 place a layer of pine straw needles in the bottom, 

 then a layer of potatoes, covering them with a 

 layer of pine straw, and continue the process until 

 the crate is filled. Finally, the crate is covered 

 with a layer of pine straw and stored in the barn 

 without further attention. On taking the po- 

 tatoes out in the fall they have been found to be 

 sound and fresh in appearance and there has been 

 no difficulty as to their sprouting when planted. 

 Fall planting at the station has just been com- 

 pleted. The potatoes cared for as above described 

 were in prime condition; in fact, they were as good 

 as, if not better than, seed potatoes shipped from 

 the North. 



Storing potatoes in oat straw proved a failure 

 on account of the tendency of the potatoes to 

 decay. Spreading the potatoes on a board floor 



