Harvesting the Potato 



229 



sure to disappoint the buyer. The immature tubers are 

 also poorer in keeping qualities than those which have 

 matured on the vines. 



Table XIII. — Early Digging for Market 



For several reasons it is best to harvest potatoes in dry, 

 cool weather. The tubers should be dug when the soil 

 is fairly dry, in order that they may go into storage 

 in a dry condition and as free from dirt as possible. The 

 cool weather prevents their wilting unduly and makes 

 it possible to get them into storage in good condition. 

 If the soil is not too moist, potatoes are best left in the 

 ground for a time after the tops have died, at least until 

 there is danger of a freeze. Most authorities agree that 

 no harm results from such a practice as long as the soil 

 condition is as described. In some sections this may be 

 almost necessary, especially where several weeks of warm 

 weather are likely to follow the dying of the vines. It is 

 difficult to store potatoes successfully if there are two 

 or three weeks of warm weather immediately after they 

 have been put into storage. In the North, cold weather 

 usually follows the dying of the vines so closely that it is 

 best to dig and store as soon as the tops die, and occasion- 

 ally the digging must be done while the plants are still 

 green in order to save the tubers from freezing. Where 



