248 



THE IBBIGATION AGE. 



two or three inches of earth. To more (thoroughly 

 shed the water, the earth should be made smooth with 

 a spade or shovel. The trench formed by removal of 

 earth for covering the straw should be continued a 

 sufficient distance to carry off the water. Small tufts 

 of straw for ventilators should be placed about six 

 feet apart at the top. Por wintering, six inches of 

 earth is requisite; and when cold weather sets in a 

 substantial covering of straw or coarse manure will 

 be necessary to maintain the requisite warmth. By 

 waiting until the ground is frozen before covering it, 

 the frost will be retained, thus securing a more even 

 temperature. A few boards or sticks of wood will serve 



Figure 12. POTATOES IN A HEAP. 



to secure the straw during windy weather. Heaps can 

 be opened only during mild weather, otherwise must be 

 left until spring. Although potatoes may be wintered 

 perfectly in heaps, extra precaution is necessary. 



Cellars or special repositories are preferable. In- 

 spection can be made at all times and the temperature 

 controlled. Although many are familiar with their 

 management, it may be well to note the relation of tem- 

 perature to ventilation. Unlike wintering in heaps, 

 the ventilation of cellars naturally tends to a gradual 

 rise in temperature toward spring. Stone foundation 



is a good conductor of heat and cold, hence the neces- 

 sity of too much ventilation to maintain the desired 

 temperature, which should range from 33 to 35. To 

 avoid dampness, cement or concrete should not be used 

 in making a foundation. A special repository con- 

 structed above ground is preferable. The structure 

 should be of wood. If made with a ten-inch space on 

 all sides and above, packed with planer shavings, a 

 very uniform temperature can be maintained. Double 

 doors and ventilators are requisite. Upon the approach 

 of warm weather, one or both of the doors may be left 

 partly or fully open at night to lower the temperature, 

 when necessary. To more perfectly keep a few choice 

 new varieties, they should be packed in dry sand, con- 

 tained in barrels or boxes. It is the true way of win- 

 tering turnips or winter radishes. 



Where many potatoes are grown a sorter is almost 

 indispensable. One valuable feature of machine work 

 is the absence of small or unsalable sizes among the 

 marketable ones. Where the crop is being marketed as 

 dug, placing the machine in the field will ordinarily 

 save some handling. When storing them the sorting 

 may be done when convenient. If sorted when taking 

 them out of the cellar, all decayed and poor ones may 

 be removed. If the weather is dry when digging and 

 the pickers careful, but little soil need be carried in 

 the repository. During wet weather it will be found 

 advantageous to run the potatoes through the sorter 

 previous to storing them. The agitation of sorting will 

 remove most of the earth. The capacity of a good 

 sorter is from 500 to 2,000 bushels per day. 



Wealth in Irrigation 



New Opportunities to Acquire Home and Independence 

 Cheaper than Paying Rent Crops Large and Certain 



On Tuesdays, June 4 and 18, 19O7, I will personally conduct you to this LAND OF OPPORTUNITY, to the growing towns 

 and fertile, irrigated valleys of the Big Horn Basin, Wyo., where you can enter 160 acres of irrigated land at SOc. an acre 

 plus cost of water; also the Yellowstone Valley with its beet sugar factory and irrigated lands. Do you want to 



The Government is spending 

 millions for irrigation in these 

 localities. 



These lands, adjacent to the Burlington 

 Route, are as rich and productive as 

 any the sun shines on, and lie along 

 beautiful streams with an abundance of 

 pure mountain water. Plenty of tim- 

 ber and coal. Climate, ideal. 



Why pay rent when for same 

 payments you can own your 

 own home? 



I am employed by the Burlington Route to show these lands and my services to you are free. 



SPECIAL ROUND TRIP RATES from Denver, Omaha, Lincoln and Kansas City, 820, St. Louis, |23, Chicago, 825. Excursions 

 leave Denver 8:45 p. m., Omaha 4:10 p. m., Lincoln 6:00 p. m., Kansas City 9:50 a. m. and 6:05 p. m., St. Louis 8:02 a. m., and 

 Chicago 9:15 a. m., on dates named. 



NEW FOLDER FREE. For our new folder with large map, telling all abDut these lands, the markets, what the farmers raise, 

 how to acquire title, and much other valuable information, write to 



Burlington 



D. Clem Deaver, General Agent, 



LAND SEEKERS' INFORMATION BUREAU 



1O26 Farnam St., Omaha, Neb. 



3377 



When writing to advertisers please mention The Irrigation Age. 



