The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1880-12-11
The g ailg Argus.


correspondence of the New England Farmer.
Celery for keeping in the winter. should
not be bleached too much. That port,on
which Is to be used before Christma
mas should be banked up early in
october SO as to come out of the ridges
almost ripe enough for the table: but. If il
Is desirable to keep it later than this. IL
should be banked up late in October. so
as to come out of the field rather green.
The pit should be ready to receive it's
store of celery the first week in November
and the celery can be put in any fine dav
before the ground freezes; it is usual to
have it all slowed away by November 10
put sometimes it is left in the field till
Thanksgiving. The pit ia made by sho-
vellng out the surface soil from a space
Twelve feet In width, and long enough to
noid the required amount; the earth is
used Tor banking around the pit. The
oanK Is held up by placing around the pit
zAlZ,inch plank on edge. supported by
i44 inch stakes driven into the ground and
braced apart by 2x4 inch ioist running
across the pit inside: ridge pole of 2x4
Joist. supported by stakes run along the
middle OF the pit. to receive the cover
lpa boards, six aud half feet
long. which rest at one end
ON the ridge. pole, at the other end upon
the edge of the plank: and ridge. pole
shosid be high enough to give the boards
pitch of about one foot, so as 10 shed
water IN wet weather.
Ihe celery is packed 10 as thick as it will
stand without crowding, some of the out
side leaves are stripped off before packing
1t, and little earth is thrown upon The
roots with spade. as each row is placed. |
lt Is necessary to use some care to keep
the celery from freezing, if cold nights |
occur while packing progresses. The |
sender bleached stalks are easily spelled |
Dy frost after taking them out of the ridges |
" hen the pit is full, the covering boards |
are put IN place and well covered with |
coarse bog. hay, leaves. or, best of all. |
dried eel grass, enough to keep out frost-i
slght or ten inches deep after it is we'll |
settled down. is about right. The cover
ng must come we'll down over the banks
30 as to keep out frost. If the pit is kept
100 close in mild weather the celery will
-ot. 1t aired too much 10 cold weather it
will be In danger of freezing. A little
Judgment and good deal of care are
'equired to keep it well, and comparatively
ew succeed il doing it unless
hey make business Of it and
i've it especial attention. When
elery Is taken from the pit, it may be
.ept Tor few days in a cool cellar. in
leeo' cold and damp cellar will keep
Tor considerable time, but The dir of
nost CELLARS Is too dFy tor that purpose.
The enormous crop of apples and the
rice OF empty barrels, at the present
lme are iorcelng many farmers 10 store
heir apples in bins. The bins should be
alscd little fTon the cellar floor, andi
he boards have little space between
hem Tor the Passage ct air. The apples
nay be safely piled four or five deep, and It
NIL need no covering. The CELLAR should
&c as cold as possible without freezing; a
ttle frost even will do harm. but the
aercury should not fall below Is degrees.
I the apples should chance to get frozen
1t them alone till the frost comes out:
andilng gh!le frosen is not good for
hem,
The difIerence 10 the quality of apples ! !
1eorchards that have been well cared far t
ID such as have been neglected, was I
trlckingly illustrated in the case of two +
rhich | recently picked. The apple from
he orchard which had been pruned and
cultivated were very large and fine, many
eng nearly a pound in weight yield
* only ore barrel of No. 2 apple to
inc OF No. l. The neglected orchard |
lelded one barrel of No. apples to every
NO OF NO /. and the labor OF picking and
ssortirg was more than double, owing to
heir inferior sizs
The only things necessary to keep cab
age are dry place to make the pit. and +
efficient covering OF suitable sort The
abbages are taken up early in November
nd planted as thickly as they will stand.
4 furrow OF a small pillow; two slices aFes
ben turned upon the roots with tie pillow
I'D another row p.an;edi u the furrow thus
pened; this Is to be continued until they
re all planted, and then two slices thrown
p against the bed all around SO rs to
lrn of surface water; the covering should
e meadow sedge, straw or leaves. or both
should be four or six inches deep after i
is well settled down; uora taan this
ill heat aud rot the cabbaees less will
ndanger their fret zing 10 severe weather.
t is good plan to cover lightly at Grst,
nd to increase the covering as the wealth
r becomes nore severe. Cabbages only
,osely headed are best for keeping since
hey will grow uoder the covering, aud 7
ONE out good deal harder than when
ut up. Hard heads are more apt to-
urst and rot