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THE C A N A 1) 1 A N II O 11 T 1 C U L T U R 1 S J 



for long storing, carry Ihem in with 

 the top that does not break off in 

 handling still adhering to them. They 

 keep better when stored in that way. 

 As they can be topped when they 



are picked up in the field quicker than 

 at any other lime, those that are want- 

 ed for immediate use should be tipped 

 as they are gathered. Never handle 

 onions when wet. Store in a dry and 



co<j1 place. Do not store in deep piles. 

 I have kept them in good shape until 

 April when spread out five or six 

 inches deep on shelves in a dry 

 cellar. 



Vegetables for tKe Christmas MarKet 



IN many places, very little attention 

 is given to the subject of Christmas 

 vegetables. If we go to s(nne stores 

 in which vegetables are sold, and look 

 at the "display" as we may call it, we 

 are not enticed to give our order because 

 of the untidy or unclean appearance 

 that they present. This method of 

 presenting goods for sale is far too back- 

 ward and must be remedied if the 

 grower is to reap a fair reward for pro- 

 ducing his crop. What is more un- 

 pleasant for a would-be purchaser of 

 vegetables than to find them exhibited 

 for his or her approval in a dirty con- 

 dition? 



Many growers have no taste for pre- 

 senting to their patrons their products 

 in a tasty manner. If, on offering them 

 for sale, they are unable to command a 

 good price, in many cases the fault Ues 

 with themselves. Every dealer is, or 

 should be, desirous of procuring first- 

 class vegetables, well put up, clean, and 

 of fine size. When they are put up in 

 attractive shape, he will pay a better 



E.. £. .Adams, Leamington. Ontario 



price than if they are offered in the un- 

 clean condition in which they come 

 direct from the soil. 



This applies especially to Christmas 

 offerings. The consumer, at this season 

 of the year, is looking for the best that 

 can be got. The coming Christmas din- 

 ner must be something out of the ordin- 

 ary. It must be one of the best of all 

 the year, and it usually is. Celery, 

 parsnips, rutabaga turnips, onions, 

 parsley, lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, 

 Hubbard squash and sweet and Irish 

 potatoes, all are valuable for the Christ- 

 mas dinner. 



Celery should be well washed, cleaned 

 thoroughly and put up in half-dozen 

 bunches or heads and tied with a nice 

 blue ribbon, which contrasts nicely with 

 the' white celery. This bunch looks 

 well, sells well, and is a handsome- 

 looking article. Lettuce is usually sold 

 at this end of Ontario by the pound. It 

 is sometimes pulled up by the roots and 

 well washed, the roots being left on; 

 but if the roots are cut off, a much more 



presentable article is obtained. Turn- 

 ips, parsnips and potatoes may be well 

 washed, although potatoes might be left 

 off the Hst. The others should be well 

 cleaned and stripped of small rootlets, 

 so as to present a tasty appearance 

 Well- formed specimens of fair size should 

 be used so as to have a uniform grade. 

 Hot-house cucumbers, lettuce and to- 

 matoes are in evidence at this time. 

 Tomatoes should be shown in a small 

 package similar to the southern carrier 

 with lace paper edging. They should 

 be well ripened to the stem, showing no 

 green spots. They are a good selling 

 article at this season of the year, if 

 properly put up. 



The grower of vegetables can add con- 

 siderably to the appearance of his goods 

 by having a good team, harness and 

 wagon. He also should be particular 

 in regard to his own appearance. The 

 grower will be well repa d for all the 

 attention and trouble that he takes to 

 present his goods to the consuming pub- 

 lic in a tastv manner. 



MaKe a MusKroom Bed in tKe Cellar 



Mrs. E. C. Bennett, THornbury, Ontario 



MANY persons think that it is diffi- 

 cult to grow mushrooms, but such 

 is not the case. They are easily 

 grown if you have good fresh spawn and 

 fresh manure, both being essential for 

 producing good mushrooms. 



Try growing them in a large box in 

 your cellar. That is the way I started 

 and I have had the best of success. 

 First get some fresh horse manure, say 

 two or three wheelbarrow loads. Place 

 it in a pile in a stable or a shed, and let 

 it remain for two days ; then turn it well 

 every day until the mass is cold and let 

 it stay for three days. It should then 

 be cold; if not, turn again and let re- 

 main for three days more. By that 

 time, it will be ready for making into beds. 

 Pack the manure to a depth of 14 

 inches in the box and let it remain for 

 nearly a week. If you find that the 

 heat is over 100 degrees, let it go down 

 to 90 or 80. Then spawn the bed by 

 putting pieces of spawn nine inches 

 apart each way. Press the bed down 

 firmly and let it remain so for 10 or 12 

 days. Then put on about two inches of 

 good garden loam and again press firmly. 

 On top of this put some straw or soft litter. 

 In four or five weeks the mushrooms 



will begin to appear. When first seen, 

 sprinkle the bed well with warm water. 

 Place a handful of salt in each pail of 

 water. Wet the soil well on top, but 

 not enough to reach the manure, as that 

 will kill the spawn. 



Any amateur can make a bed like 

 this. There is no mystery about it. 

 Without good, fresh spawn, however, 

 profitable beds cannot be had, as that 

 is the only secret in mushroom growing. 



Mushrooms that Won't Stop Growing 



A bed that had grown mushrooms in a cellar for one 

 year was thrown out in the garden and covered with 

 fresh soil. In two weeks* time large luscious mush- 

 rooms sprang into existence. The photograph was 

 taken at the home of Mrs E. C. Bennett, Thornbury. 

 Ontario, 



In the article by Mr. A. McMeans, 

 O.A.C., Guelph, that appeared in the 

 November Horticulturist, he was 

 made to sa}^ that poor selection of seed 

 causes "rottenheart" in celery, instead 

 of "hollow -stalk." It was an error on 

 the part of — let us say — ^the printer's 

 devil. 



The kind of soil has much to do with 

 the prevalence of blight in celery. Clay 

 ■ soil seems to induce bUght more than 

 any other kind. On black muck it is 

 not so bad. Extremes of both wet and 

 drought are unfavorable. Cloudy, warm 

 weather is effective in causing this dis- 

 ease. — E. Gibbard, Todmorden, Ont. 



