Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1905-11-25
FARMING MATTERS
Harvesting and Storing Celery.

the markets of New England. One of
the most successful growers is Irving
C. Smith of Wisconsin, who tells New
England Homestead readers some of
his approved methods in handling this
delicate crop at the season of harvest
ing and storing. His experience fol-
lows:
I have found the ventilated pit the
most satisfactory method of storing in
this cold climate. With a team and
steel scoop dig a trench about 20 feet
wide and as long as occasion requires,
and about one foot deep. Leave the
earth as near the edge as possible.
Square up the edge with shovel. set
q line about IL feet from the edge ana
then level the ground just outside OF
the line.
Now, If You can get them convenient
ly, set a wall of Gull single blocks on
end by the line, making it two BLOCKS
high. Sort out the heavier ones Tor
the bottom tier. This makes a gooo
wall 80 inches high. Lay board on
top with a nail in each end to prevent
1t being pushed off, and it is finished.
Fill in the earth behind little way
,p on the second tier, but do not pack
or tread in or the blocks will be crowd
ed in. Lay one or two boards alons
near the wall to prevent caving Whlle
filling the pit. Make the otner sue
the same. leaving II feet between .ne
walls. For the backbone. set your
line about inches to one size OIL 'iie
center SO you can set a line OF posts
down the center. I use 2x4 scantlins
for the backbone. Lay line of them
down the center, so the posts may be
set about feet apart. to suit the
length without saving; ~ or 8. feet
cedar of small size can be used ana
left 6 feet inches high. Set ore at
each end of the section and then dig all
the other holes, then one man can
sight over the two set and another man
Can quickly adjust the height OF the
posts. Nail the 2x4 on top, one nan
to each post and then a second one, so
as to break all joints.
This makes ridgepole 61s feet high
and of sufficient strength. Nail boards
along one side of the posts at the
ground to support the celery and with
some light pegs and strips OF ola
boards set up a second board, leaving
a center alley 10 or II inches wide.
Square up the end with boards, leav-
ing a doorway about 2 feet wide, to
match the alley. This leaves the two
sides about feet inches and feet
inches wide. Now set up with two
stakes at each end Pinch boards, just
a single length. to divide the wide side
into four sections and the narrow side
into three sections, for convenience IN
filling and we are ready for the celery.
Before digging the celery take
sharp sickle and trim both sides OF the
row, cutting off all the surplus leaves.
Swing the sickle from back to front
and with a slightly outward movement
so as to leave the row nearly pointed
on top after both sides have been
trimmed. After little practice
man can trim nearly as fast as he can
walk.
For digging. like best the common
tile soade. One man digs and boy
pulls up the stalks and lays them in a
row to be cleaned. Have the digging
spade sharp and make a slantlng
stroke, so as to strike the root of the
celery about one inch below where the
leaf stalks grow. 1 am aware that
this is contrary to the teaching OF
many celery growers. but the state
ment is not made in haste to be new,
hut after years of careful work.
Follow the digger and strip Off all the
defective outside leaves. Do not pull
off leaves because they are green, out
all of the small leaves and side shoots
should be cleaned off end tie stalks
laid in piles of six to ten, convenient
to pick up to put into boxes for draw
ing to the pit. Handle carefully, SO as
not to break the leaf stalks. Unload
at pit close to the side.
Begin setting next to the middle. The
setter stands back to the end of pit. Tho
celery is handed to him about three OF
four at time if of good size. He sets the
first bunch in n row next the corner and
the shoveler, who stnds just in front OF
him, throws little earth against the
roots to hold it up and keep it from dry
ing out Setter moves his left foot over
in front of the bunch set. and puts the
is thrown on and the right foot comes
over to the middle of the trench and the
third handful goes into the corner, and
so OH. By moving back and forth he can
held the celery up and the shoveler can
cover the roots of each bunch.
Now comes a very important point.
How close shall 1t be set! ABOUT as
loosely as you can and have it stand up
straight If set too loosely it will sag and
become crooked. Care must be used to
set 1t Vp straight and have 1t remain so.
If the season Is dry and the celery is in
clined to wilt, the roots should be dipped
in a pail of water by the one handing it
in to the setter. Dip only the roots
more or less according to the season.
Sometimes. if quite dry, l water the bot
tom of the pit before fitting. When the
side is full the length of the boards set
up. draw the boards out. leaving only the
end between the celery to hold it up,
stake the loose end and proceed as be-
fore.
For the roof use 1O-foot posts. the big
end on the wall and the other on the
ridgepolc and set about feet apart. no
mills; Cover with any sort of lumber
winch Is available. putting one nail in
each end of the bottom board to keep
from sliding off
Ventilating chimneys about feet long
and made of 10 or Pinch boards should be
set In every 16 to 20 feet Leave two op-
p s!se sldes inches higher than the other
Soes, so a board cover can be laid on and
not blow Off Set 4 board on edge to
cover the ends of the posts and fill the
earth IN to the edge of roof Now cover
WIN LAYER of straw or marsh hay and
70 inches of earth and the Dit will
stand quite cold snap.
me remainder of the covering sbouId h.
Soats e manure, put on to inches at
each application until pit is covered
enough. Here We need about fon. Nf
manure, little mora NJ, -. =. -