Diseases of the Sweet Potato 169 



would be experienced in keeping them in storage* 

 " After the potatoes are well dried in the field they 

 should be carefully laid in an open crate holding about 

 a bushel and hauled to the storage house. They should 

 not be poured out of this crate into a bin, but stored in 

 the crate itself. The use of crates permits the free cir- 

 culation of air among the potatoes, a condition which 

 can not be obtained if they are piled in a bin. The 

 crate has an added advantage in that, as many potatoes 

 can be taken out for the market during the winter as 

 are desired without disturbing the remainder. Sweet 

 potatoes will not stand frequent handling, and for that 

 reason it is unwise to disturb a pile or bin unless they 

 are all marketed at the same time. The use of crates 

 would eliminate this danger. ' 



" Potatoes intended for storage should be dug as' late 

 in the fall as is consistent with weather conditions. 

 This is usually just preceding frost. Frozen potatoes 

 will not keep well, and it is likely that a heavy frost 

 will injure them to some extent. It is advisable, too^ 

 after a heavy frost to cut the vines at once and dig. 

 It is believed that warm, dry, sunny weather preceding 

 a frost is better than a period a little later in the season 

 following a frost. To wait too long may mean that in 

 order to avoid freezes the potatoes must be dug during 

 bad weather. After digging, the potatoes should be 

 allowed to dry as long in the sun as is consistent with 

 Weather conditions. On a very hot day, however, it 

 would be desirable to hurry the potatoes to the shade 

 after their surfaces have been dried in the sun." 



