Evening star., 1948-04-04

frult needed. However, tomatoes
ripen over a long season and it may
be desirable to plant more than
this number OF plants, If space per-
mits, SO that the canning may be
taken care of in a comparatively
short period.
Beans offer still another problem.
Early planted beans usually ripen
before the Mexican bean beetles
become too numerous for easy con-
troll. Also the weather early in the
season is generally more favorable
for good growth, 50 if the canner
can take care of them in early July
1t would seem desirable to do so.
However, late planted beans (Aug-
ust / if they can be started under
favorable conditions) will ripen
about the first Of October and that
should be during good growing
weather. Bean planting, if space
permits, should be pretty well regu-
lated to the plans of the cook.
Restrictions on Freezing.
Most of our recommended vege-
table varieties are suitable for can
ming. but this is not quite true for
freezing. Some varieties are much
better than others in retaining
shape, flavor and texture when
frozen. But even so, most garden
.ers tend to stick to tried and proven
varieties because when picked fresh
and popped into the freezer before
they have lost flavor they are so
much better.
Gardeners who have experimental
with the various varieties come up
with specific recommendations, such
as: Bountiful bush beans, golden
bantam hybrid sweetcorn, baby po-
tato limas, worlds record peas
freezonian will probably be bet
teri, and many others. Early tests
indicated that the pole bean, blue
lake, was excellent but we find
home gardeners are using Kentucky
pole and Potomac. This would seem
to indicate that If we harvest our
vegetables when they are young
and tender we will find that many
of the regularly grown varieties are
satisfactory. Our job, therefore, is
to plan for the desired quantities
and make sure that they are ready
at the right time.
Growing vegetables for storage
(n cellar or pitt in the Washington
area has not received a great deal
of attention so far. Most root crops
need a cool and fairly moist situa-
ton. A room can be partitioned off
from the rest of the basement, in
sulated and ventilated so as to pro-
vide more nearly the needed condi-
tions, or storage can be had by dig
ging a pit and storing the root
crops and cabbage in it. Such
pit can be made In any we'll drained
situation and leaves or straw used
for insulation.
Cabbage may be stored in
trench or In the pit. Green toma-
toes and peppers. II stored in
cool moist situation, will gradually
ripen and be ready for use many
weeks after a frost has killed the
plants in the garden. Pumpkins
and squash need a cool dry storage
place.
Plant Keepers Later.
Vegetables for storage should be
planted late enough in the summer
so that they will be in good condi-
tion, not over-ripe or tough and
fibrous when time comes for stor-
ing. Parsnips and satisfy keep bet
ter II left growing in the garden.
Some claim that their flavor Is
much better after being frozen.
However, some should be dug and
stored where they will be accessible
after the ground has frozen.
Drying is another method OF stor-
ing vegetables for winter use. So
far this method has not been wide
ly adopted, although 1t is prac-
ticable for several crops. Parsley,
sweet corn, onions and several
others may be dried In a warm
not hot-oven. Beans and peas may
be allowed to ripen on the plant
before harvest and then given a
final drying in the sun or oven
before placing in jars for storage.
There are many ways to preserve
vegetables for winter use. Once
having decided on the kinds and
quantities to be stored the problem
of the method of storage can be
worked out according to available
facilities. The bigger problem is to
grow them, and the gardener will
need to plan the use of his avail
~, .~,ao m &C fo insure having