The National tribune., 1884-10-09
OUR RURAL TOPICS.
Some Practical Suggestions for Our
Agricultural Readers

KEEPING VEGETABLES THROUGH THE WINTER.
The Germantown Telegraph prints the follow
ing seasonable article on the methods of pre-
serving vegetables through the Winter: " Few
persons, except market gardeners, understand
the best method of keeping vegetables through
the Winter. 1t is leading branch of the busi-
ness of these to supply at all times these vege-
tables, which as the Winter advances command
increasing prices. They can afford, by the ex-
tent of the crops they raise, to provide suitable
buildings, or rather cellars, to keep these crops
and have sufficient supply at all times to
meet the market demand, and realize the high
prices which are usually commanded late In
the Winter and early in the Spring But the
small growers of these vegetables, though many
In number cannot incur the expense of pro-
viding structures in which to preserve these
roots for their own use, and have, therefore, to
Shift the best way they can in feeding out the
roots to their limited herds of cattle. Heat
and moisture are the two agents which, moro
than Others, are hurtful to vegetable roots in
general. Keep them dry and as near the freez-
ing point as possible, without positively freez-
ing. But, as rule, we regard the keeping of
these vegetables buried, OF protected, out-of-
doors, to be preferred to any other method.
Turnips of all kinds, celery, cabbage, carrots,
ETC., BY being carefully buried, not very deep,
yet sufficiently so to protect them from the
rains and consequent freezing, viii be longest
preserved. Celery, cabbage, carrots, etc, are
not injured by what may be called dry freez-
ing; in fact, we consider celery to be benefited
by 1t. 1t must be understood, however that
no roots should be buried in large bodies be-
cause they will of themselves produce heat, and,
as matter of course, decay. Better TO be
placed in small heaps, or in rows or ridges,
covered with straw or cornfodder, with aper-
lures leading to the body of them, stuffed with
straw, which will admit of evaporation and
naturally of the escape of the heated, or, more
properly, of the impure air. We have found,
however, by repeated trials, that by covering
these bodies of vegetables with boards, so placed
as to shed the water, and the whole on an in
clined surface, thus preserving the vegetables
IN dry condition, they viii be protected
against decsying better than in any other way
We have kept celery and cabbage to the end of
April In good state. On some farms the cell
lars underneath dwellings, which are generally
the extent of the building, are used for this
purpose; but we do not recommend them.
From the warmth of cellars vegetables will soon
decay, and very frequently produce serious
illness, as well as causing an offensive odor. 1t
would do no harm. however, TO deposit there
small quantity of some of these vegetables for
immediate use in the early part of Winter; but
all else should be placed in the open grounds,
after the manner suggested.
PREPARING APPLES FOE MARKET.
The following hints from the Massachusetts,
PloughmGa will be found worthy the attention
Of those having crop Of apples to dispose of
this Fall: In making selections it is, as
rule, best to pick out all of the best fruit-that
which is of good form, large size, and free from
any appearance Of worms; such fruit packed
so as to receive the least possible injury by
transportation, will always command fair
price. The second picking should be the
smaller size, but sound and perfect in form /;
these win command a fair price, if they are
weli-known varieties Some times q third
quality, composed of the large imperfect fruit,
will pay for selecting; this quality should be
sold for consumption at once, but as a rule it
pays quite as well to sell the remainder, after
selecting two qualities, for drying and for
cider, or TO work them up at home drying the
best and feeding out to the cattle the remainder
In packing the first quality of fayorite varie-
ties, each apple should be wrapped In thin
paper, and very carefully packed in barrels or
boxes, filing the barrel or box so full that every
apple will keep in its place. As soon as packed
the fruit should be stored in some cool place,
where the temperature is very even. In pack
ing apples never, if it can be avoided, pack
more than one variety in barrel, but If two
varieties must be put in, separate them, and
put paper between them, and mark on the
outside the names of both varieties. Every
package should not only be plainly marked,
giving the variety, but also the name of the
grower or packer; thus each grower or packer
will acquire reputation according as he de-
serves. If buyers would refuse to buy apples
not SO marked it would aid very much those
who put up honest packages.
POTATOES FOR STOCK.
When storing the present harvest, all those
too small for table use should be sorted out
kept, and judiciously fed As to their value
for mich cows, experience has proven them TO
exceed that of almost every other root. As q
feed for calves they make one of the very best
substitutes for milk, containing as they do Is
per cent. of starch in natural state, and go
per cent in dry state. They should be boiled
as for table use the skins removed, mashed
thoroughly, and put into milk. Calves eat
them in this way greedily, and thrive remark
ably well. They will not cause SCOUTS as grain
feed does, and tend TO keep the appetite regu-
lar As feed for horses in Winter time, the
potato possesses rare qualities as regulator !;
they may be given once or twice week say,
IN messes of few quarts. For hogs, they
should be boiled, mashed and mixed in the
swili barrel with kitchen sIops and milk, with
liberal quantity of wheat bran or cornmeai
added. This makes one of the cheapest as well
as one of the best early feeds for swine and
puts them IN a healthy and thriving condition
for fattening, and wonderfully saves in pork
making, when compared with corn-feeding
alone Potatoes are profitable as Spring feed
for sheep, and especially for ewes raising lambs
they give strength, health and appetite, and
produce milk abundantiy. For sheep, they
should be cut and fed raw once day. One of
the best methods is to cut fine and mix with
wheat bran or ground oats. As choice, for
breeding ewes in Spring. we would prefer to
have 90 per cent of the feed potatoes by
weight, than to have the whole amount either
oats or corn. Potatoes boiled, mashed and
mixed with cornmeal, and fed hot, are ex-
cellent for chickens in Winter. We know q
poultry dealer who always uses this mixture,
and for health of fowls and production of eggs
no henery, to our knowledge. exceeds his ac-
cording to the number of chickens kept-Tfi5-
n,ae and Farmer.
NoTELETs.
The health of the horse has much to do
with the glossiness and smoothness of the hide
A variable diet is therefore best for them as
peeially in Summer.
- If you have very hard milking cow fat
ten her and sell her to the butcher. Don't sell
her to neigbbor or dealer to try some
other body's muscle and patience.
- The value of the onion crop in Orange Co.,
N Y, annually exceeds 100000.
- New York City alone consumes 100000
tons of dressed poultry every year. AT 10 cents
a pound the value would be- $40 100000.
- u cen nj ps well Uttered and their nI,artcra