130 A HOME VEGETABLE-GARDEN 



vide plenty of moist sand or clean garden soil 

 around the roots. As soon as storing is done, the 

 roots should be watered in order to start new 

 growth. Great care will be necessary to prevent 

 black-rot from ruining the crop. Take pains to 

 turn the water merely on the soil, and keep the air 

 fresh and cool. Under these conditions, the new 

 growth produced in the dark cellar will be fine- 

 flavored and almost pure white and exquisitely 

 tender. 



While the cellar makes a good celery store- 

 house, under prime conditions, the larger part of 

 the late crop is stored in the garden in trenches. 

 Instead of banking the soil about the plants, how- 

 ever, place the celery below the surface to protect 

 it from the severe cold, while the blanching pro- 

 ceeds. Prepare a trench, 8 to 10 inches wide and 

 as deep as the plants are tall, with plenty of loose 

 soil at the bottom.. Force a spading-fork or a 

 garden shovel well below the roots and move the 

 plants, soil-covered roots and all, to the trench. 

 Set them close together, the tops even with the sur- 

 face. Pack the soil carefully about the roots. 

 Cover the lightly packed row of celery with straw 

 and leaves and corn-stalks, adding more protection 

 as the cold increases. Unless the weather becomes 

 too warm and black-rot attacks the plants, we will 

 find fresh, crisp, white celery, ready for use by 

 the time fresh growing things are most scarce and 

 most needed. The supply in the cellar will last, 



