24 
Colorado Agricultural College 
It is necessary to do a little hand work in finishing off the 
sides after the potatoes have been dumped into the pit. 
When the potatoes are in proper position, they should be cover¬ 
ed with a layer of clean, dry straw, or clean, dry marsh hay, not 
less than two feet in thickness, and just enough earth put on the 
same to hold the straw in position. In some cases, it is advisable 
to use poles or rafters to hold the straw down, instead of earth. 
The pit should be left in this condition until cold weather sets in. 
The straw is sufficient to keep out ordinary frost, and it will keep 
the pile ventilated and permit surplus moisture to escape. As cold 
weather approaches, a thin layer of earth is added. Every three or 
four feet at the apex of the pile, openings in the earth should be 
left to permit moisture to escape. It is also advisable to keep open¬ 
ings at the base of the pit, but these openings should be covered 
with straw so that the frost will not get in, and before winter 
arrives, more earth covering should be applied, the amount depend¬ 
ing upon the severity of the weather. When regular winter sets 
in, more earth should be added to the covering. If very cold 
weather should occur, a coating of stable manure on top of the earth 
is advisable. The ventilators at the top and at the bottom should 
be entirely closed during the cold weather. 
It is very important that the potatoes be dry and free from rot 
when stored in pits. 
VARIETIES OF POTATOES 
In a State like Colorado where the soil, altitude and climatic 
conditions are so varied, the choice of varieties to plant becomes, to 
a great extent, a local question. 
In the Greeley section, the Pearl and the Rural are grown al¬ 
most exclusively for the miain crop and the Early Ohio for the early 
•crop. The rural variety is better adapted to the heavy soils and to 
plains conditions than the Pearl. The latter is inclined to grow 
rough and ill-shaped on heavy soil, while on lighter or loamy soils, 
the Pearl is preferred. 
In the San Luis Valley the Barklay’s Prolific, Russet Burbank, 
Rural and Pearl are the leading varieties. Barklay’s Prolific is 
grown most extensively and is admirably adapted to this section. 
It is a heavy yielder, is of excellent cooking qualities, and stands 
shipment better than almost any other variety grown. It will be 
more extensively planted in the future than in the past. This variety 
is not true white, but has a golden brownish tint that does not in 
any way detract from its salability. Barklay’s Prolific is probably 
only a local name. Early varieties are not grown to any 
extent in this section, due to late spring frosts. The Irish Cobbler 
is admirably adapted and is grown to a limited extent. The Triumph 
