596 DR. CHASE'S RECIPES. 



meet the demand and they are compelled to go west for their pickles. This 

 state is well adapted to the growing of cucumbers, and they are preferable to 

 those raised in warmer climates." 



Remarks. — Although cucumbers are a paying crop near the cities, yet it is 

 not expected that tlx' general farmer throughout the country would find it so, 

 unless he can make previous arrangements with some of the city dealers, or fac- 

 tories which put up ])icklcs, to buy what he may raise, put up in brine, or salt 

 pickle as above called, which may then prove profitable, after a little 

 experience at first, in a small way. See also the profitableness of onion 

 culture. 



TURNIPS, BEETS, ETC.-To Keep Nicely in Cellars for 

 Winter Use. Applicable to all Kinds of Roots and Large Fruits. 

 —All kinds of roots keep better in the cellar by throwing fresh dirt over them; 

 but turnips and beets especially keep much better for this, as they soon wilt 

 and lose their freshness without it. Put in barrels, if it is too unhandy to 

 thus cover them on the floor, by putting dirt in the bottom, and a layer every 

 few inches, the roots not to come out to the sides by an inch at least, and then 



5 or 6 inches of dirt on top. Large casks or boxes will do as well, and be less 

 trouble. Some people do not put any earth in until the barrel is filled to within 



6 inches of the top, then shake in dry sand, or dry road-dust, and cover with 

 the same, or fresh earth. Only such as are wanted for winter use are treated 

 in this way, the others stand in root-pits, ventilated as seen under that head. 



" A cellar," says a writer, " that is cool dry, dark and well ventilated, is 

 the best place for preserving potatoes in large quantities. When smaller quan- 

 titles are to be preserved there is nothing like dry sand. The same may be 

 6aid of fruits and roots of all sorts." See below. 



This is fully confirmed by the next item, so far as lemons and oranges are 

 concerned, from a California paper. 



2. Fruit Packing, Lemons, Oranges, Sweet Potatoes, etc., by- 

 Sand, Effectual for, as Done at Los Angeles, Cal.— "The citrus, or 

 lemon men, of Los Angeles," says the correspondent, " have made a discovery 

 of great value to Florida." [Then why not to every place, or man who desired 

 to keep fruit, sweet potatoes, etc., any considerable time, for any purpose?] 

 " dry sand," he goes on to say, " is the best packing for lemons and oranges. 

 The fruit must touch the sand. Experience (is our best teacher) warrants 

 keeping for 5 months at least. The dry sand has absorbing power that appar- 

 ently takes up all exudations subject to decomposition, the rind being very por- 

 ous. Naturally the thoughtful mind suggests that, on the same principle, dry 

 sand must have similar preservative effect on other fruits, such as pears, plums, 

 nectarines, apples, and other smooth-skinned varieties." 



Remarks. — Yes, that is just what the principle does teach. If dry sand 

 will keep lemons and oranges for 5 months, it will do the same with apples 

 and the other fruits he names, and sweet potatoes as well, and every other fruit 

 which perishes from the outside from natural dampness or from dampness 

 «rising from the rotting of the skin, which is the way most fruits, sweet potar 



