STORING CELERY IO5 



banked well up around the plants, and as the 

 weather becomes colder, the soil is brought up to 

 the tops of the plants so that only a few of the tips 

 of the leaves will be exposed. After a few days the 

 ridge is crowned by a covering of straw, leaves, or 

 corn fodder, held in place by boards or earth. When 

 the ground begins freezing the entire ridge should 

 be covered to a depth of 3 or 4 inches with coarse 

 stable manure or any material that will prevent 

 freezing. Celery will withstand considerable frost, 

 but its keeping qualities will be impaired if the tops 

 become frozen. The celery can be removed from 

 the ridges as required for use, but will be quite inac- 

 cessible during a portion of the winter. 



Storing in Temporary Pit or in Vacant Hotbed. — 

 The celery intended for winter use may be partially 

 blanched in the field or garden, and the plants re- 

 moved with a part of their roots attached to the 

 storage pit or cellar. A permanent hotbed forms 

 a convenient celery storage by cleaning out the pit 

 and placing 4 or 5 inches of fine loose soil in the 

 bottom. The roots of the celery may be bedded in 

 this loose soil quite close together, so that the plants 

 will be almost touching when in place, or about 

 4 inches in each direction. After the celery is all 

 in place, a covering of boards should be put on and 

 the bed well ventilated until the weather becomes 

 quite cool, when a covering of corn fodder, leaves, 

 pine needles, or coarse manure should be added. 

 If a hotbed is not available for the storage of the 

 home supply of celery, a pit may be made by exca- 

 vating a trench 18 inches deep, 4 to 6 feet wide, and 



