Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1874-10-08
them to decay or become soft and

them to decay or become soft and
spongy.
Carrots are not difficult to preserve
but should be kept as cool as possible
without actually freezing. They should
be gathered and topped before the
crowns have been frozen, and then DRIED
sufficiently to cause all the dirt to fall
off before storing.
Parsnips are usually left in the ground
through winter and dug in spring, as
freezing does not appear to inJure them;
but if wanted for use during the winter
the roots may be dug up in the fall and
packed away in moss, leaves or any sim
liar material, and then placed in cool
cellar or clubhouse where they will not
get too dry. A portion of the crop may
be dug in the fall and the remainder left
in the ground. Parsnips that are left
out to be frozen during winter are usu-
ally considered better than those dug in
the fall. The frost appears to sweeten
as well as to make them more tender
Celery is usually stored in trenches,
the roots being carefully lifted with
what little soil adheres to them, and
then reset in trench a foot in width
and depth enough to permit of readily
covering. The punches should be set
nearly upright and closely together, and
as cold weather approaches covered over
with straw, leaves or some similar coarse
litter that will keep out the frost. The
eaf-stalks which are green when put
into the trench will usually become well
blanched by the time the celery is taken
out for use in the winter. This method
of storing is the one usually practiced
by the market gardeners ia this vicinity.
AS the cabbage is another vegetable
which is not injured by freezing if al
lowed to thaw out slowly and in the dark,
our market gardeners merely pull them
up and set the heads in trenches made
with a pillow, then turn furrow over
them from each side, leaving the roots
exposed. The heads are but slightly COW
cred with earth, and consequently are
frozen solid in cold weather. They are
taken out during mild weather in winter,
or on the approach of spring, and are
usually in good condition for market.
Further north different plan would
have to be adopted, especially if the cab
bages are wanted for use during winter
but an ordinary cellar, warm enough to
keep potatoes, is entirely unfit for cab
bages, it being altogether too warm. A
cheap pit made for the purpose would be
preferable, because it could be kept cool
without injuring other kinds. Every
farmer should, however, have root cell
lar near, if not under, his barn, where
turnips, carrots, beets and cabbages can
be stored without endangering the health
of his family by having them in the
Westinghouse cellar, as is far too fire.
quently the practice. Where great va
riety of vegetables are kept together
some must suffer, either from being too
warm or too cold, and the only safe plan
is to have two or more places for storage.
First in Importance is the raising OF a
goodly supply of vegetables for the farm
stock, and the next is to keep them until
the time they are most needed, which is
usually in the latter part of winter and
early spring.
The season has already arrived for be-
ginning the gathering of vegetables for
winter use, and no time should now be
lost in making the necessary prepare
tons for preservation. -Neo York Sun.