KEEPING AND STORING. 169 



cabbages and stand them head down on the soil. Cover 

 them with soil to the depth of 6 or 10 inches, covering 

 very lightly at first to prevent heating unless the weather 

 should quickly become severe and as winter sets in cover 

 with a good dressing of straw or coarse manure. The 

 cabbages should be allowed to stand where they grew until 

 cold weather approaches. The storing beds are usually 

 made about 6 or 8 feet wide, so that the middle of the bed 

 can be reached from either side, and to prevent heating if 

 the weather should remain open. Cabbages quickly decay 

 in the warm weather of spring. 



Cabbage for family use is most conveniently kept in a 

 barrel or box half buried in the garden. Cabbages and 

 turnips should never be kept in the house cellar, as when 

 decaying they become very offensive. 



Celery. For market purposes, celery is stored in temporary 

 board pits, in sheds, in cellars, and in various kinds of earth 

 pits and trenches. The points to be considered are, to 

 provide the plants with moisture to prevent wilting, to pre- 

 vent hard freezing, and to give some ventilation. The 

 plants are set loosely in the soil. There are several methods 

 of keeping celery in an ordinary cellar for home use. The 

 following methods are good : 



Select a shoe or similar box. Bore one-inch holes in the 

 sides, four inches from bottom. Put a layer of sand or soil 

 in the box, and stand the plants, trimmed carefully, upon 

 it, closely together, working more sand or soil about the 

 root part, and continuing until the box is full. The soil 

 should be watered as often as needed, but always through 

 the holes in the side of the box. Keep the foliage dry. 



Celery may also be stored and well blanched at the same 

 time, in a similar way, by standing it in a barrel upon a 

 layer of soil. Some roots and soil may be left adhering to 

 the plants. Crowd closely, water through holes near the 

 bottom as in case of box storage, and keep the plants in the 

 dark. 



Blanched celery can also be preserved for a long time by 



