334 Diseases of Truck Crops 



especially necessary for good keeping. A tempera- 

 ture of about thirty-six degrees F. may be considered 

 ideal for the best keeping. This temperature will 

 keep the tubers in the best of condition and will also 

 inhibit the work of decay organisms. It is claimed 

 that when potatoes are stored at low temperatures 

 they take on a sweetish taste when cooked. This 

 may or may not be an objectionable feature. This 

 objection, however, is of little significance, when we 

 consider the fact that stored potatoes become normal 

 in taste after being kept a week at the retailer's 

 store at ordinary room temperature. 



Moisture. Little is known as to the amount of 

 moisture necessary during potato storage. The 

 object, however, should be to maintain sufficient 

 moisture in the air to prevent excessive drying of the 

 tubers, and at the same time to keep the moisture 

 content low enough to prevent it from condensing and 

 falling on the potatoes. Appleman 1 suggests that 

 storage houses be maintained at 33 to 35 degrees F., 

 and at a humidity of 85 to 90 per cent. 



Ventilation. Pure fresh air seems to be necessary 

 to insure successful storage. This may be secured 

 by top and side ventilators installed in the storage 

 house. In pit or cellar storage, neither the tem- 

 perature nor the relative humidity can be suc- 

 cessfully controlled. Here the trucker is entirely 

 dependent on the chances of natural weather con- 

 ditions. 



Bins. It is bad practice to store in large bins or 



1 Appleman, C. O., Maryland Agr. Expt. Sta. Bui. 167 : 330, 1912. 



