224 AROUND THE YEAR IN THE GARDEN 



gathered together in one spot while still attached to the 

 vines, so they may be covered easily. The greatest care 

 should be taken in handling all these things, whether they 

 are left on the vines or not. In removing them cut a piece 

 of the vine with each; if the stem is knocked off decay is 

 almost certain to set in. 



Most beans can be used either dry or canned green. Just 

 before frost is to be expected pick all immature beans for 

 canning. The dried beans, of course, will not be injured 

 by freezing, but as soon as the foliage has been killed they 

 should be pulled and put under cover. 



Though a light frost might blacken the foliage without 

 spoiling the tomatoes, there is a chance of their being 

 turned soft on the upper side. The largest fruits should be 

 gathered and put away in a cold-frame in straw or marsh 

 hay. The vines of smaller fruits can be left for a while 

 longer. When one is pretty certain that a killing frost is 

 coming, a few vines should be taken up, roots and all, and 

 hung up in a dry place under cover or in the cellar, the sap 

 in the vines being sufficient for the requirements of fruits 

 that have nearly matured. In this way ripe tomatoes may 

 be enjoyed for some weeks after the supply in the garden 

 has been killed off. 



Though onions are not likely to be damaged by early 

 frost they may be made almost worthless by rainy weather, 

 which will cause them to sprout again after the tops have 

 become dry. As soon as they begin to ripen, as will be indi- 

 cated by the tops' breaking at the neck and beginning to 

 shrivel, the roots dry up so they can be pulled with very 

 little effort. 



At this stage no time should be lost in getting them out 

 of the ground. If there is not room to give them storage in 

 a shallow layer two or three inches deep, in a dry place 

 under cover, pile them in windrows, putting four or five 

 rows together. They should be raked over every day with 

 a wooden rake until any soil has fallen off and the tops have 

 become dry. Then get them under cover. 



White onions should be pulled as soon as the tops break 



