Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1919-12-12
Agricultural Other Half Marketing
Especial Information Service T. s Department Agricultural
Proper Storage Promotes Sale
of Winter Vegetables in Cities
Tendency City People Dwell in Flats
With loIe,ight-kcoping Place for Products Is


Ii properly stored after harvest,
vegetables can be made a source Of
considerable income to the farmer
who is located near good-sized towns
or cities. In such places a constantly
increasing number of people are liv-
ing in apartments and fats, where
they have storage facilities for only
small quantities of vegetables, or in
houses heated by furnaces in the base
ment, making that part of the house
too warm for the storage of vege-
tables. The automobile or motor
truck has made it possible for the
grower to get his vegetables to the
dealer or consumer even in cold
weather, especially if his machine is
inclosed or is fitted with heater.
Proper storage of the vegetables
from harvest time until they are
brought out for sale is a subject to
which the grower must give particu
lar attention, for on it the entire sue
cess of winter-marketing program
depends
Where the grower plans to draw on
his stock from time to time during the
cold weather he must so store his
produce that portions of it can be re-
moved without disturbing the remain
der. Instead of putting all of one
kind of vegetables in one pile it is ad
visable to make several smaller piles
or to use various containers, such az
boxes, barrels, or baskets, each of
which is adequately protected and can
be removed with its contents without
disturbing other stores. Where out
door pits are used it may be desirable
to introduce intervening walls or lay
ers of earth at more frequent inter-
walls than would be necessary in stor-
! ing supplies merely for one family.
Beets, late cabbage. carrots, celery,
onions, parsnips, potatoes, sweet pota-
toes, satisfy and turnips may be stored
various kinds, including the limas,
may be stored dry, Good storage ia
cilities exist in most farm houses, it
being only necessary to make use of
the cellar, the attic, or other parts of
the dwelling. depending upon the
character and amount of produce to
be stored.
Barrels, crates, boxes, or bins may
be used as containers for various veg
etables, but movable containers are
preferable to built-in bins because
they.are more easily cleaned. Out
door storage cellars or caves are par
ticularly desirable, for larger quanti-
ties can be taken care of in conven-
lent and inexpensive fashion. Such
caves possess all the advantages of
the storage room in the basement and
are superior to it in many respects.
In sections where low temperatures
prevail it is necessary to insulate the
storage cellar or house so that the
vegetables will not freeze. The above
ground type of house much used in
many sections of the north, has thick
walls filled with sawdust or shavings.
1t is necessary that pains be taken to
provide for proper ventilation In
many northern sections large storage
cellars are built partly underground.
Concrete storage cellars are coming
into quite general use. Outdoor banks
and pits are also familiar means en-
ployed to protect vegetables in cold
weather. The conical pit is used COM
monty for such vegetables as potatoes.
carrots, beets, turnips, satisfy, parS-
nips. and heads of cabbage. The bu-
reau of plant industry of the United
States Department of Agriculture has
issued farmers bulletin No. $40,
which gives detailed instructions re-
garding the construction of these
storage places.
All vegetables which the farmer or
truck raiser may desire to keep in
stock for selling through the winter
months do not require the same type
OF storage. Beets may be stored in a
variety of ways. The beets should be
pulled and the tops cut off when the
soil is dry. If they are to be held in
a storage room in the basement or in