SWEET-POTATO STORAGE STUDIES. 



11 



follows : Triumph, 6.75 ; Porto Rico, 7.10 ; Nancy Hall, 6.77; Southern 

 Queen. 7.10; Pumpkin " Yam," 8.51; Dooley, 9.62; Red Jersey, 6.34; 

 and Yellow Jersey, 7.11 per cent. 



Shrinkage continued throughout the storage period, but was great- 

 est during the curing period, and the rate gradually decreased to 

 the end of storage. The shrinkage due to loss of moisture during 

 the curing period, which averaged 20 days, was nearly half the loss 

 for the entire storage period of 160 days. 



The average loss in weight for all varieties for the entire storage 

 period was 16.52 per cent, the lowest being 12.96 per cent for the 

 Pierson and the highest 21.01 per cent for the Gold Skin variety. 

 The heavy loss in the latter was caused largely by the drying of 

 decayed potatoes. The sweet potatoes in this experiment were in 

 storage for a longer period than is usual in commercial houses. In 

 fact, the average storage period for sweet potatoes is probably not 

 more than three months, since marketing usually begins soon after 

 the potatoes are stored and continues until all are removed. Very 

 few sweet potatoes remain in storage longer than four months, so 

 that the 113-day period is more nearly comparable to commercial 

 storage than 160 days. 



Tabije 5. — Relation of variety to the keeping quality of sweet potatoes stored 



in crates. 



[Shrinkage and decay averages in storage-house tests during four seasons.] 





Average 

 weight 

 of pota- 

 toes at 

 harvest 

 time. 



Shrink- 

 age 

 during 

 curing, 

 20 days. 



Shrinkage at end of— 



Loss 

 due to 

 decay 

 for 160 



days. 



Variety. 



50 days. 



83 days. 



113 



days. 



142| 



days. 



160 



days. 



White Sealy ' 



Pounds. 

 36.81 

 34.61 

 36.92 

 45.44 

 45. 95 

 46.91 

 48.00 

 43.23 

 1.-,. :', I 

 .50. 25 

 19. 50 

 40. 73 

 1 1. .-,?, 

 31.94 

 40.41 

 18.34 

 it,, tfl 

 i:, 28 

 17. 03 

 1l.7s 



li. 'II 



3L62 

 11.59 

 11.64 



47. 97 



1.-,. 1.-, 



14.02 



Per cent. 

 7.03 

 8.44 

 8.80 

 7.57 

 7.05 

 7.08 

 7.06 

 6.75 

 6.81 

 7.64 

 7.98 

 9.43 

 7.10 

 7.89 

 7. 55 

 7.34 

 7. 50 

 6.77 

 7.80 

 7.10 

 H. :,l 



x.73 

 9i 62 



(.. .-,1 

 <;. 07 



7. II 

 10.27 



Percent. 

 8.15 

 10.57 

 10.83 

 10.50 

 9.10 

 8.37 

 9.08 

 8.28 

 11.80 

 9.73 

 10. 38 

 11.12 

 8.87 

 9.40 

 9.11 

 9.33 

 9.59 

 8.31 

 9.44 

 x. 84 

 11.17 

 13.36 

 1 2. 30 

 ;. ho 

 x. (»*; 



8. 57 

 1 2. XX 



Percent. 



9.67 

 12.05 

 12. 62 

 12.28 

 10.86 



9.83 

 11.06 



9.60 

 13. 98 

 11.36 



12. 24 

 12.74 

 11.05 

 10.92 

 10.34 

 II). '.IS 

 1 1 . 25 



9. 73 



10; 99 

 CO. 38 



13. 27 



i;,. :,o 

 1 1. II 

 9. ii. 



10. 1 1 



in. i'i 

 ll.'.r.i 



Per cent. 

 10.87 

 13.41 

 14.52 

 14.15 

 12.58 

 10.98 

 12.37 

 11.38 

 16. 01 

 12.84 

 14.08 

 14.66 

 13. 09 

 12.15 

 11.51 

 12. 17 

 13.00 

 li. i:; 

 12.59 

 11; 89 

 15,59 

 I x. :',7 

 u,. 19 

 II. If, 

 1 1 . 90 

 12.03 



17. 50 



Per cent. 

 11.98 

 15.00 

 15. 58 

 15.74 

 14.49 

 12.13 

 13. 42 

 12.40 

 17.73 

 14.31 

 15. 55 

 17.01 

 14.24 

 13.65 

 12.69 

 13.90 

 14.49 

 12.53 



13. 93 

 13.03 

 17.32 

 19. 26 



IX. 22 

 12. OX 



13.51 



i:;. i'i 

 i'i. 15 



Per cent. 

 13. 15 

 16.44 

 17. 63 

 16.81 



15. 58 

 12.96 

 14.46 

 12.98 

 18.64 

 15.24 



16. 89 



17. 75 

 15. 29 

 15. 17 

 13. 73 

 14.87 



15. 13 

 13.01) 



1 1. 98 

 I i.n'i 

 18.57 

 2i). in 

 19. 86 



1 1. 7. r , 

 1 I. I.; 



1 1. xs 

 21.1)1 



Per cent. 





1.08 



Georgia (old-time "yam")- • • 

 Yellow "Yam" 



.32 

 .11 



V'incless Pumpkin "Yam" J . 



.35 





.02 





.25 



Haiti 



2.45 





.72 



; i izfl , 



2. 18 





.38 





. 13 





.19 





.07 



Florida 



1.39 











White " Yarn" 



.10 





. 02 





2.(11 





1.5X 





,34 





. n 



QoldSkln' 



3. 05 



I : 



S. 1,1, 



' 



43.27 



7.97 



10.20 



11.99 



13. 82 



15.31 



16. 52 



1.10 



■ tot only two yean. 



> Average for only three years. 



