ROOTS A^'D VEGETABLES. 495 



potatoes shonld be heaped on a ridge, tapering from a base of three feet to a 

 foot and a half, or less, at the top, separating the different sorts by divisions 

 in the ridge. It is usual to cover this ridge with a thatch of wheat-straw, and 

 over that with six or eight inches of mould ; but some authorities highly dis- 

 approve of this being done. Mcintosh recommends the tubers being covered 

 with turf, and afterwards with soil, as more expedient ; and in the absence of 

 these, laying on the soil at once without any litter ; but, after having laid on 

 nine or ten inches of soil, thatch the whole over an inch and a half thick, 

 with straw, fern, beech, or any similar non-conducting material; "the 

 object being," he says, "first to exclude frost and wet, and, secondly', to 

 exclude heat ; for which purpose earth is not sufficiently a non-conductor of 

 heat and cold." 



1^2^. If the weather is fine when the tubers are taken up, and the 

 potatoes are required for early use, much of this labour may be dispensed 

 with ; but if for spring and early summer use, the precautions will be found 

 necessary. 



1526. Carrots, Beet, and other similar root-crops, should be taken up 

 before the frosts set in : they may either be stored in a dry cellar, covered 

 with dry sand, or stored after the manner of the potato. The London 

 market-gardeners winter their beet and carrots in large sheds, stored away 

 in moderately damp mould, and banked up with straw ; " for," says 

 Mr. Cuthill, "it is a mistake to pack them all in dry sand or earth for the 

 winter ; and the same may be said in regard to carrots, parsnips, salsafy, 

 scorzonera, and other similar roots." By this means, ho goes on to say, the 

 roots retain their natural sap, and the colour is preserved. 



1527. It is probably unnecessary to add that in roots and tubers, as with 

 fniit, all cut or bruised ones should be thrown aside : when the skin is cut, or 

 a bruise exists, the elements of decay are soon introduced, and all others within 

 reach contaminated. A dry day should be chosen for lifting them, and they 

 should be exposed a few hours before collecting into heaps, that the soil 

 adhering to them may dry. 



152S. Onions should be lifted a little before they have altogether ceased to 

 row : the leaf turning yellow and beginning to fade will be the signal. A3 

 they are taken up, they should be placed in a dry airy place, but without 

 being exposed to the sun. If they are thinly spread out on a dry floor or shelf 

 covered with sand, — or on a gravel walk partially shaded in fine weather will 

 do very well. As they dry, the roughest leaves should be removed ; when 

 di*y, they should be removed to a v/arm dry loft, where they can ripen more 

 thoroughly. When in a jiroper state for storing, they should be gone care- 

 fully over and separated, the smallest ones for pickling, the ripest picked out 

 as likely to keep longest : those with portions of leaves to them are best stored 

 by stringing and suspending them from the ceiling of the room, which pro- 

 motes riiDcning. The stringing is done by twisting a strong piece of matting 

 or twine round the tails of each in succession, so that they may hang as close 

 together as possible without forming a cluster, until the string is about a }-ard 



