Vegetable Growing in Colorado. 25 
October 20th, the latter date corresponding to the lower altitudes. 
Therefore the crop should be harvested by this time. 
On large areas, potatoes are harvested by means of elevator 
diggers, which are very satisfactory. However, these are too ex¬ 
pensive for the small grower, and he usually digs his crop with a 
‘‘shaker digger,” costing about $12.00, or with a turning plow. 
Regardless of the method used, the potatoes should be cut or bruised 
as little as possible, as this injures their market value and keeping 
quality. They should be moved to market or into the storage cellar 
immediately to avoid possible frost injury. It is advisable to let 
the potatoes become thoroughly dry before they are placed in stor¬ 
age or before being sacked and shipped to market. 
Storing .—A good storage cellar is essential where potatoes are 
grown for market. The grower does not always find it profitable 
to sell directly from the field, and in order to hold the crop, some 
kind of storage is necessary. The most common type of cellar in 
Colorado is one where an excavation is made and this roofed over 
with straw, earth, etc. 
The storage cellar should be located on a slight knoll, if pos¬ 
sible, or on level ground. The nearer the house it can be placed the 
better, as attention can be given much more easily than when sit¬ 
uated farther away. If the walls and ends can be constructed of 
concrete, the cellar will be more permanent. Provision should be 
made for light and ventilation. This can be done by having from 
four to six shafts running through the roof. Light is necessary for 
sorting over the potatoes and desirable for greening seed potatoes 
in the spring before planting. Ventilation is necessary in maintain¬ 
ing the proper temperature. If the cellar is divided into tvvo com¬ 
partments, one can be kept dark for table potatoes and the other 
light when necessary for seed potatoes. A driveway with doors at 
each end of the cellar, so that a wagon may be driven through, will 
greatly facilitate loading and unloading. Tight double doors 
should be provided to keep out cold and heat. Two or three ther¬ 
mometers should be hung in the cellar to indicate the temperature, 
which should be kept as near 33 or 34 degrees F. as possible. To ' 
do this, careful attention is necessary, particularly in the fall and 
spring, when the cellar must be kept closed during the warm hours 
of the day and opened in the cooler hours of evening. By doing 
this the temperature can be kept about right in the cellar. 
In addition to potatoes, other vegetables, such as turnips, cab¬ 
bage, celery, etc., may also be stored in the cellar and kept for use 
during the winter. 
Potato Diseases .—There are three fungous diseases which are 
of considerable importance in Colorado. These are Pusarium, 
: * n. i- VI • \> ;■ f ■ ■ O 
