PITTING POTATOES.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1713, 2 April 1913, Page 10

PITTING POTATOES.

INVESTIGATIONS IN SCOTLAND.': ' . '' '. The; importanceof properly' 1 "pitting" V potatqyi'nji;iv check{tqr disease,'has;;been - .investigated in ■ Scotland, from where the following report emiinjtteS:—The .longer r. the/:potatoes :remainr in-the giound* the greater is .the danger, of their becoming :■*: * diseased,".and, as no g?pwth _ can take place . alter, the luuilm lias died/ ilieerjp shoujd \be lifted 'assoon'as.the ;skiit''will tesist, rubbing.'. When the crop'.is lifted if 13 ■ -<highly.'desirable,' if at all possible; to-have: :) 1 "jrist , S-. touchtd"—separated "from—thov.-.-healtliy onciv ; Owinj; to pressure ! of \vork7.durinj*' the-potato-digging.time, this is oiii>of>thei . .. (jusstion as a rule, and' in •■wet :SVeather ; the potatoes may bo'!too-lret" and? dirty» . .. to make i t- : passible, to :distinguigli between, tlis soutld-and'the -slightlyaffected;-' '.Phis' ' / difficulty ig.got over in .s'oine'aistrietsvby? ■ placing' l the potatoes, "aor they "are*, raised,. , in small teniporary ;"pits". or "clamps, ii: ,■-joveied : simply.with^strawyiand'..leaving; : theman'these until .the pressure of work; isover,, bywhich time the potatoes will have.dried ponsiderably: : By sorting -at : this, ■ V . Jatter- stags* fOGfoi*-© placing in i >fcho more permanent; pits, .theiroT>iviioo,'"'. only' v less* . danger of. sound potato£4 Tjecoming infectv. Ed 111 the slightly .. diseased potatoes t j.Qwjajned quite, ■suitable., for; iinme<liato:;usft ,og : -food for stock, but which/ if two or . ; .three 'months, would.Jjecome quit© Totten • nnd.useless.'. , ' n >•'. /:• ' { r-, '^,%.. c 9?lt?uctio'ti;of.'the "pits'lias a good f ~.. deal, 'to do with the keeping of • the; pota--'T tho ' ;. ' STOJfe,an4;'>lootteniitaf v paid to .the method of covering.. In some ...; parts, of the iconntry. i.t.'.ivasj l fouM" J the ;■ custom,.after, covering the , .heap with" • . S|'f^'-,^-® i !-^b;it,,completfilyl. , o^-ei , !it/b'tieeV .-1 his, ; .-nowevOT,: was.said' by 'mantf'tij'-'.bo; B .°r.A-W?4-P}ati;..as it conduced .to'exte'nsive rotting in. the pit.' Even'';iii'a :smdll' ■ pit there isl ..as certain . omouht'of -.-heat-' ;. ing; particularly' in 'the '.first ■ few sweeks. ; It is commended ■'.that-.amplo facilities . .. Bhould be .provided; for ''the tescape of tie steam- .from the potatoes'(Hiring ; tlie first few weeks _a#ter storing.' The"fet" plan' . was found to be tho u coinraou one. of leaving the olamp covered 6514-witu-.straw. ;■ If:.goo[l, „is used,,and, ; , properly, laid ,on,no. water .'finds its way. ; to the potatoes, and,,a: complete, covering f°v . a y !*. &iven-before .frost is e'xpected, Some growers, ,ev<m-whero severe" lrosta, are. oiperi.enced,, ■leave' the, I'.Tidge. wiftput soil throughout the winter 'simply' ;i : .-'PWsPff ?» ? '.potato .tops"or. ;'of ;st«awy manure when frosts'are anticipat-'-ed; ,bnta better plan adopted is to. : cover tho pita completely with soil after a r , ««(;• .uiterviils :sf. few, feet renhlatmg shafts in. the forin' ol draan'pipes or- wisps :of,strawVr\ •' ' _ J 1 ? ,<ipnpion.of r'-'the; '•ptftatbes . . jjheii put into,the; pits,; .it is'.' -ronerally .• i.iought thiit .they'.should :.iiot bo too 1 \ ' ° 1- sand adhering to ,thelii .prevents tlieir. coming, into., feo'i . ■ <-loso contact with'each "other, 'mid so minimises 'heating", and tho spread of lot. Un, such cases, always iviieir diseased ..." Potatoes a rp. present, some '-growers''aflonfc Wl ' "■ ] »no •amoiigrl '" 3 w done it was stated that. Ihe.poUtoos caino.out of the nits'm sprrna .very clean-and bright,'" and, though lime did.not prevent a diseased . . tuber decaying, it did prevent rot from , spading-trom n ,bnd potato to those' iiu .... contact with it. Crushed lime, it is . found proves much ljotter x for thin pur-sln-ked lame. ,It ,found-thafc : the nso.ofthe hmo was attended .with tho disadvantage that'it soeined to encourage tho early .sprouting of tho .potato, but ■ this was regarded as a small matter comP a r«d_inth the prevention of the spread of rot throughout .tho bulk. TUo sprinkling: of crushed bmo in tho pit at the rate of flf-i l w TeTy toli of potatoes reeeived approval from' inost of the growers Lowers of sulphur, .sprinkled in at th(l' late pf-21b. per ton of potatoes, ; tfas" also" described .as destroying t3ie fungus winter rpt-ond holding in' check "certain mites, W'lnbh othenviso .conveyed the ' spores from one -potato to another:! ' ; Are'you, sir,-os manager of a: cheesefa! ffi'' b* lJ- i 1 f your..product .is tip' 1 t-! ' standard?. If you , ,have doubts, study tho.. reasons.why/V-Ito'in-stdnce, greater cfEcioncy, ; and higher ■ che-ose (naturally leading to con be secured with "Victor", Vats Let tho experience gained .by your brother managers guide you and you will quickb instal , Victor' Vats in your factAry. Of the 'sloping bottom with 'the- : centre, drainage is, the Secret- of the in-' : creased, efficiency of - tho "Victor" Vats All -particulars from Albert J, Port.on, Plumber,.Carterton.— Advt..\ .... Woods' Great Peppenrtint Cure, Is. 6d. : For Chronic Chest Complaints,* '" "