HOME VEGETABLE GARDENING 
POTATOES— HARVESTING AND STORING 
T HE early kinds mentioned on page 168 may be dug 
as soon as tubers reach any desired size. Care should 
be taken, when digging, not to bruise their skin since 
this will injure their keeping quality which, at best, 
is. very limited. Late varieties intended for winter use 
should not be dug until vines have turned brown or black, 
are perfectly dry, and easdy pulled off the hill. 
Choose a dry, sunny day for digging, which may either 
be done with spade, fork or, on large areas, a plow may 
be brought into action. I he tubers should be given an 
hour or two to dry before they are gathered. 
A dry cellar with thorough drainage, where the tem- 
perature averages thirty-two to thirty-six degrees, is ideally 
adapted for keeping potatoes. They may be kept in 
bins, flat boxes, barrels, or crates, so long as the air is 
afforded a chance to circulate among them. On warm 
days the cellar should be aired. During extremely cold 
weather the bins or boxes should be protected by covering. 
170 
