BULLETIN

OF THE

AGRICULTURAL- AND MECHANICAL
COLLEGE OF TEXAS.

AUGUST, 1915.

EXTENSION SERVICE

BULLETIN B 6

SWEET POTATOES
FOR PROFIT

Simple Directions for Banking and Storing
Sweet Potatoes to Prevent Loss in
Marketing-

Address Clarence Ousley, Director Extension
Service, College Station, Texas.

Caz-operative. Extension Work in Agriculture and
Home Economics, Agricultural and Me-
chanical College of Texas and United
States Department of Agri-
culture (Io-operating.

\

The object of this bulletin is to prevent by
proper storing heavy losses in the marketing
of sweet potatoes. As a rule in the early fall
potatoes are forced upon the market at prices
varying from 35 cents to 75 cents a bushel. By
winter. prices usually advance to 75 cents or
$1.00 and by spring often reach $1.50 It is a
conservative estimate that the producer by stor-
ing his potatoes for gradual marketing could ob-
tain an increased price of 25 cents to 50 cents
a bushel, and in rare cases as much as 75 cents
a bushel, or a profit of 50 to 100 per cent.

The methods herein described have been
thoroughly tested. In many parts of the South,
including several points in East Texas, there are
successful storage houses in which potatoes are
preserved at great profit. Groups of farmers
in co-operation, orbusiness men who desire to
promote the welfare of their rural communi-
ties, can well afford to make such investments-
Persons with experience in methods of storage
are invited to correspond with the undersigned
with a view to developing and later publishing
the completest information possible on this im-
portant subject.

In advance of the next planting season this
department will issue an additional bulletin on
methods of cultivation, and in the meanwhile
will be glad to receive from potato growers any
information concerning difficulties or problems
they have encountered.

CLARENCE OUSLEY,
Director.

{I

STORAGE OF SWEET POTATOES.

By Edwin Jackson Kyle, M. S. A., Dean of the
School of Agriculture, and J. C. Olsen,
Associate Professor, Agricultural
Engineering.

In 1913 the United States produced 59,232,000
bushels of sweet potatoes. Of this ‘amount
Texas produced 4,000,000 bushels. From 1899
to 1909 the increase in production in the
United States was 39.3 per cent, while the in-
crease in value of the crop was 78-3 per cent.
During the same period the increase in the
production in Texas was only 12.4 per cent.

On the whole these figures are encouraging”
but when we consider the rapid increase in the_
value of the crop, and the ease with which

the sweet potato can be grown, there is little
reason why the production, especially in Texas,
should not have been much greater.

There are two factors that have retarded the
development of the sweet potato indu.try in

Texas. First, lack of a Northern market, due to_
the fact that the Yams, which are grown al-n
most exclusively in Texas for an eating po-H
tato, are not popular in the North. Second,

the great difficulty in keeping the potatoes

after they are harvested; thereby forcing thet
growers to place their crop on the market img,
mediately after it is harvested, which naturally

means low prices.
The erection of storage houses in the potato

growing sections of the State, whereby farmers‘

can store from 500 to 2500 bushels of potatoes

and keep them in "good marketable condition’

from eight to ten months ofthe year, together

with better cultural methods, will undoubtedly“
revolutionize the potato industry inthis Statefl
The purpose of this bulletin is, first, to give‘

full instruction on how to construct storage

house's, the small type holding from 400 u;
500 bushels and the larger from 2500 to 3000‘

busehls; second, how tokeeppotatoes for home
use by banking. a ' A '

:

If the farmers of a community will co-op-

3

erate in putting up one of these houses, they
will undoubtedly find it to be of great service
in enabling them to hold their potatoes until
a satisfactory price can be secured.

The part of this bulletin relating to storage
houses is a digest of Farmers’ Bulletin No. 548,
Storing and Marketing Sweet potatoes, by H-
C. Thompson, Assistant Horticulturist, Bureau
of Plant Industry.

BANKING SWEET POTATOES

Wherever a person has only enough sweet
potatoes for home use the most economical and
satisfactory method of storing is to bank them.
Banking sweet potatoes in the South has been
practiced for a great many years. Nearly every
farmer varies some in the minor details on the
construction of the potato bank, but the gen-
eral principles are about the same.

In "banking sweet potatoes,. it is important
to select a well drained location near the house.
The surface of the ground should be cleaned
free of grass and weeds and enough dirt shov-
elled on the place to raise it several inches
above the surrounding ground.

The width of the bank at the base will, of
course, depend to some extent upon the amount
of potatoes to be stored. A lbank six feet in

diameter will permit the storing of from _

twelve to fifteen bushels of potatoes, if they
are properly piled.

For best results a single bank should not
contain more than twenty bushels of potatoes.

As soon as the ground has been cleared and
drained, a layer of coarse straw, at least two
inches in thickness, should be placed on the
bottom of the bank. The potatoes should then
be carefully piled on until they come to a point
three or four feet high.

As soon as the pile has been completed, the
potatoes should be covered with a coarse layer
of hay or corn stalks, in which condition they
should be allowed to stand for one or two
days, so as to go through a sort of curing pro-
cess, after which a layer of boards should be

4

laid on over the straw. The boards should

then be covered with three of four inches of
dirt, leaving a small air hole at the top. After

the bank has stood several days, it will often .

be necessary t0 refill with dirt where it has
settled.

The ‘bank should be opened from only one
side, and after opening the potatoes should be
used without too much delay.

Extra care should be taken not to put in
the bank any cut or bruised potatoes.

Seed potatoes should be stored in separate
banks, and should not be opened until ready for
planting.

Potatoes stored according to this method will
not, as a rule, keep as well as when they are
placed in well built storage houses, but when an
individual has only a few bushels to be used
for home use, he can often bank them with
very good results.

SWEET POTATO HOUSE

To keep sweet potatoes in good condition
after they are gathered, it is essential that they

be thoroughly dried and cured after being put"

in the house and that a uniform temperature
be kept after they are cured. These essentials
can be secured in a storage house where arti-
ficial heat can be supplied. The house should
be constructed in such a way that it can be
thoroughly ventilated. These requirements are-
provided for in the type of construction shown
in these drawings. A cheaper and less care--
fully constructed house will keep sweet pota-
toes, but the additional attention and fuel re--
quired would soon exceed the extra cost re-
quired for the better house- It is economy to»
build a substantial house at the start.

Size of House to Build.

The quantity of potatoes to be stored will

~ decide the size of house to build. The plans

shown in these drawings are for ahouse 20 by
40 feet. Such a house will store 2500 to 3000
bushels. The construction of this particular

5

house is discussed in the following paragraphs.
The material for a smaller or larger house
could very easily be figured out by following
thegeneral directions for this one.

House Should be built on Pillars.

The sweet-potato storage house should be
built on piers in order to allow a free circula-
tion of air under it. The “dugout,” a house
built partly underground, should never be used
in the South for storing sweet potatoes, due to
the fact that it is practically impossible to keep
this type of house dry enough to prevent the
potatoes from rotting. Four rows of pillars
should be built, one under each side and two
through the center of the house, using concrete,
brick or wooden blocks. This will place the
rows 7 feet, 8 inches apart, and in the rows
they should be 8 feet apart.

Floor Construction.

The sills should be 8 by 8 inches and the
joists, which are placed 2 feet apart, should
be of 2 by 10 inch material. Over the joists a
rough floor of 1 by 4 or 1 by 6 inch boards
should be laid, then a layer of heavy building
paper, and over this matched tongue and
grooved flooring.

Wall and Ceiling Construction.

The walls should be built by placing 2 by 4
inch studding every 2 feet. On the outside a
layer of 1 by 6 inch sheating should be nailed
to the studding, then a layer of heavy building
paper should be tacked to the sheating, and
over this drop siding or some other matched
siding. On the inside of the building heavy
building paper should be tacked to the stud-
ding and then covered with matched flooring.
The walls should be tied together every four
feet with 2 by 6 inch scantling. These scant-
lings should come over the partitions for the
bins so they can be used for supports. '

Roof Construction,

Use 2 by 6 inch rafters placed *2 feet apart."

6

. ‘y,

Over the rafters a layer' of building paper should
be tacked, and over this the sheating is nailed.
Shingles, roofing paper, tin or galvanized iron
can be used for the roof. Under the rafters
a layer of building paper should be tacked and
over this the matched flooring;

Ventilation.

_Th_orough ventilation is very necessary in a
storage house. For this purpose three win-
dows on each side and a door in each end have
been provided. Also there are two ventilators,
each 8 by 8 inches, in the roof and six ventila-
tors, each 12 by 12 inches, in the floor. The

windows should be 18 to 24 inches above the _

floor, and they should be made to close tightly
whenever necessary. The roof ventilators
should be provided with a roof to keep out rain
and a shutter which can be closed in cold
weather.

v Bin Construction.

The bins are so constructed as to permit a
free circulation around the potatoes. For this
house the most convenient arrangementcan be
secured with a row of bins on each side of a
central alley. The bins are 4 feet wide, 7 1-2
feet long, and 8 feet deep. An air space is pro-
vided between the walls and bins for free air
and circulation. The construction here de_

. scribed allowsa 4-inch air space between bins,-

a four-inch space, under bins and 6 inches
between the bins and outside walls. For
corner and middle suports, 2 by 4 inch
scantlings should be set up, the lower
end nailed to the floor, and the upper to the
cross pieces use for tying the sides together.
Over the supports 1 by 4 inch boards should be
nailed, leaving a 1 inch space between them.
The ends of the bins parallel with the outside
wall of the house must be built first, because
there is not room enough to work between the
bin and the outside wall. In making the floor,
2 by 4 inch scantlings should be cut to go
across the bin' and placed on edge, one near
each end and one in the center. To these

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1

should be tacked 1 by 4 inch boards, leaving a
1 inch space between them. The bin floor
should not be fastened to the floor of the
house. If left loose it can be taken out when
the house is cleansed and disinfected in the sum-
mer. Both sides of the scantlings between the
bins should be slatted up in order to leave an
air space.

Material for Large Sweet Potato House.

Size of house, 20x40’; capacity, 2500 to 3000
bushels.

Lumber. “Board Feet.
Sills, 10 pieces 8”X8”x16’ . . . . . . . . . . .. 853
Joist, 21 pieces 2”x10”X20’ . . . . . . . . .. 700

Studding, 23 pieces 2”x4”x18’; 8 pices
2”x4”x12’; 8 pieces 2”x4”x14’; 4
pieces 2”x4”x-O’.; 4 pieces 2”x4”x

12’ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 480
Rafters, 42 pieces 2”x6”x12’ . . . . . . . . 504
Ties through building, 10 pieces

2”x6”x20’ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200
Plate, 4 pieces 2”x4”x20’ .  . . . . . . 53

Total dimension lumber. . . .  . . 2,790

Sheating (not including that on inside

walls and ceiling) . . . . . . . . . . . . 3,200
T. & G. flooring (for floor, inside

walls and ceiling) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3,400
Drop siding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,600

Lumber for bins, 15 pieces 2”x4”x16’;
30 pieces 2”x4"x18’; 562 pieces
1”x4”x16’ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 3,250

Finishing lumber, 4 pieces 1”x6”x18’;
8 pieces 1”x6”x16; 4 pieces, 1”x6”x
12’; 4 pieces 1”x4"x16’; 2 pieces
1”x4”x18'; 4 pieces- 1”x4”x12’; 6
pieces 1”x6”x14’

Total lumber . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14,725

5,000 square feet building paper, galvanized
iron roofing, 42 sheets 2’x12’; 42 sheets 2’x10’;
6.4 check rail-windows 8 light, 10”x12”.

Hardware: 50 lbs- 20d common nails; 25"

8

ii

lbs. 10d common nails; 100 1bs_.8d common
nails; 50 lbs. 10d galvanized nails; 75 lbs. 8d
galvanized nails; 24 bolts 3-4”x18”; 3 pair 7”
tee-hinges; 6 pair 6” tee-hinges; 1 stove.

Piers: Using concrete, 10 sacks cement; 2
culbic yards sand; 4 cubic yards gravel or broken

stone. Using brick,1,000 brick; 6 sacks ce-
ment; 3-4 cubic yard sand.

Chimney: 400 brick; 3 sacks cement; 1-4
cubic yard sand.

Material for Small Sweet Potato House.

Size of house, 10’x18’; capacity, 450 bushels.

Lumber. Board Feet.
Sills, 2 pieces 6”x8”x18’ . . . . . . . . . . . . 144
Joist, 10 p’eces 2”x_0”x10’ . . . . . . . . . . 167
Studding 11 pieces 2”x4”x16’; 8 pieces

2”x4"x14’; 2 pieces 2”x4”x18’. . . . . . 175
Rafters, l0 pieces 2”x4”x14’ . . . . . . . . 93
Ties through building, 2 pieces 2”x4”

x10’ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Plate, 2 pieces 2”x4”x18’ . . . . . . 1.. . . . . 24

Total dimension lumber . . . . . . . . 636

Sheating (does not include any on in-

side wall and ceiling) . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,000
T. & G. flooring (for floor, inside

walls and ceiling) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,075
Drop Siding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 670

Lumber for bins, 8 pieces 2”x4”x18’;
3 pieces 2”x4”x16’; 82 pieces 1”x
4”x12’; 32 pieces 1"x4”x16‘...... e626
Finishing lumber, 6 pieces 1”x6”x18’;
4 pieces 1”x6”x16’; 2 pieces 1”x6”
x14’ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118

Total lumber . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 4,125
1,700 square feet building paper; galvanized

iron roofing. 20 sheets 2’x7’; 2 check rail win- ’
‘ dows 8 light, 10”x12”.

Hardware: 15 lbs. 20d common nails; 25

lbs. 10d common nails; 15 lbs. 8d common nails; _

9

20 lbs. 10d galvanized nails; 20 lbs. 8d, galvan-
ized nails; 6 bolts 3-‘4”x18”; 4 pair 6” tee-hinges;
3 pair 7" tee-hinges; 1 stove.

Piers: Using concrete, 3 sacks cement; 1-4
cubic yards sand; 1-2 cubic yard gravel or
broken stone. Using brick. 250 brick; 1 1-2
sacks cement; 1-8 cubic yard sand. _

Chimney: 400 brick; 3 sacks sement; 1-4
cubic yard sand. A

®®

f .
t.
a Varieties of Sweet Potatoes for Market.

The varieties of sweet potatoes to grow de-
pend on the market to be supplied. The north-
ern and eastern markets demand a dry, me-aly
potato, such as the Big-Stem Jersey, including,
the so-called Improved Jersey, Yellow Nanse-
mond, early Carolina, Gold Coin, and othes.
The markets of the South demand a moist,
sweet root. Among the varieties most in de-
mand in the South are the Nancy Hall, Dooley
Yam Pumpkin Yam, and Triumph.

Harvesting Sweet Potatoes.

Careful handling is one of the essentials in
keeping sweet potatoes, and there is" no more
important place to practice it than in the field

at digging time. The implement used to dig

sweet potatoes should be one that does not cut
or bruise the roots. After the potatoes are
plowed they should be scratched out by hand
and allowed to remain exposed long enough to
dry off. The digging should be done, if possi-
ble, when the weather is bright and the soil
is dry. ..

The potatoes should be graded in the field
in order to reduce the cost of handling to a
minimum. These lots should be stored in dif-
ferent bins. By following this method it will
not be necessary to grade the potatoes at the
storage house and will thus save time and re-
duce the cost of handling. The potatoes should
be poured into the bins as carefully as possible
to prevent bruising.

Care of Sweet Potatoes in Storage.
Each year after the sweet potatoes have
been marketed the house should be thoroughly

cleansed and disinfected before using again. ‘

All dirt and refuse should be cleaned out and all
parts of the interior sprayed or washed thor-
oughly with a solution of formalin (1 pint of
formalin to 10 to 15 gallons of water). Dis-
eased roots should not be thrown on the manure
pile -or on land to be used for sweet potatoes,
the safest plan being to- burn them.

In filling the storage house the workmen
should begin at the back end of the bins and
pour a layer of potatoes about 2 feet deep in

11

all the bins rather than fill one bin at a time.
If the bins are 8 or l0 feet long it is a rgood
plan to divide them into two parts. By nailing
cleats to the middle support of the bins, the
partition can be raised as the bins are filled.
The partition boards should have some space
between them to allow free circulation of air.
A l-inch block between the boards will be sat-
isfactory to separate them. By dividing the
bins in this way the ba-ck of the bin can be
filled without walking over the potatoes in
the front part. When taking the potatoes out
those in one section of a bin can be removed
without disturbing the remainder. This is very
important Where the potatoes are sold in small
quantities.

While the potatoes are being brought in, a
fire should be kept u-p in the storage house to
dry off the moisture. A temperature of 8O to
85 degrees F., with plenty of ventilation, should
be maintained for 10 days or 2 weeks, depend-
ing on weather conditions and the variety of
potatoes. Ventilation is absolutely necessary,
and even if it is possible to keep the tempera-
ture up to 8O degrees F. it is necessary to
leave the ventilators open, so as to drive out
the moisture-laden air. The house may be
closed at night, and should be kept closed on
cloudy days, but if moisture begins to deposit
on the walls or ceiling the house should be
opened and a fire started to drive off the
moisture. The air inside the house should be
kept warmer than the outside air during the
curing period. This will prevent moisture
from being deposited on the walls. As the
air warms it expands and takes up the moist--
ure. When it cools it contracts and gives up
its moisture. This makes it imiportant to get
the moisture-laden air out of the house by
ventilation. When the potatoes are thor-
oughly dried or cured the temperature should
be gradually reduced to 55 degrees F. and kept
as near that point as possible during the re-
mainder of the storage period. If the tempera-
ture goes below 48 degrees a fire should be
made and the house opened in the middle of the
day whenever the temperature on the outside is

12

high enough. When the temperature goes
above 60 degrees F. the house should be opened
in the cool of the day to lower the temperature
to 54 or 55 degrees and then closed. The
house should have some ventilation every day.
In mild weather the ventilators in the roof
may be partly open all the time, but they
should be closed in cloudy or cold We-ather.

Marketing Sweet Potatoes.

One reason why Southern farmers have
not received good prices for their sweet pota-
toes is that they have not used proper methods
of handling and marketing. In many cases the
potatoes are badly bruised and cut in digging,
are put in bags or rough barrels without grad-
ing and are rushed on the market when there
is an oversupply. The secrets of success in
getting high prices are (1) to carefully grade,
-clean and pack the product and (2) to put it
upon the market when there is a good demand.

When the potatoes are marketed they
must be carefully graded, no matter how well
it has been done when they were put in the
house. The market demands a medium sized,
uniform type of sweet potato, free- from bruises
or decayed spots. In ‘grading, the large, over-
grown, and the crooked, broken, or bruised
roots should be kept at home for feeding or
for canning. The best potatoes will bring the
higher price when separated from the culls.

After carefully grading the potatoes they
s-hould be put in clean, neat, attractive pack-
ages. Bags should never be used, as the .pota-
toes become badly bruised when handled in
this way. The standard veneer potato barrel
with a burlap cover is usually used in summer
or autumn, but for winter shipment the double-
headed stave barrel or tight box is used. The
smaller type of package, such as the bushel
hamper, bushel box, or basket, is becoming
IIIOPB Popular each year. A neat and attract-
ive package of well-graded potatoes will bring
a good price almost any time, even when the
market is over-stocked with inferior goods.

Potatoes shipped during the winter must
be protected from the cold. When a sweet

13

potato becomes chilled its quality is impaired
and decay soon sets in. In cold Weather the
package should be covered with paper and the
cars heated to prevent chilling the potatoes.
Some find it advantageous to line ther baskets
and barrels with paper. '
Sweet Potato Grades.

The Office of Markets and Rural Organiza-
tion of the United States Department of Agri-
culture assisted in the establishment of the
following temporary grades for the shipment
and marketing of sweet potatoes by the Rus-
sellville, Ark., sweet potato growers at a meet-
ing held on December 11, 1915:

Prime (or No. 1 Bakers).

This grade will include all potatoes of one
variety from 2 to 3 inches in diameter, with
none over 7 inches in length, all to be fairly
uniform in shape, clean, bright, natural color,
and sound. This grade must be free from
bruised, scarred, irregular, crooked, rotten, or
diseased potatoes.

Choice (or No. 2 Bakers).

This grade will include all potatoes of one
variety from 1 3-4 to 3 inches in diameter,
with none over 8 inches in length, all to be
clean, bright, 'natural color, sound and free
from rot or disease. This grade may in-clude
crooked and irregular potatoes.

JUMBO.

This grade may include all potatoes of one
variety over 3 inches in diameter, with none
over 8 inches in length, all to be clean, bright,

natural color, sound, and free from rot or dis-

ease.
SEED STOCK.

The seed stock ordnarily takes all sound
potatoes, free from rot or disease, cuts or
bruises, and less than 1 3-4 inches in diameter.

The jumbo grade is not recommended for
shipment to the northern or ‘eastern marketsas
they do not desire potatoes of its specifica-
tions. However, potato-es of this grade should
find a ready sale in the South, Where they
may be used for such purposes as pie-baking
and canning.

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