ROOT CELLARS AND STORAGE HOUSES 89 



Celery storage pits. The storage houses or pits for celery are 

 quite different from others in construction, usually consisting of a 

 half-cellar arrangement. A well-drained location is selected, pref- 

 erably on soil which is sandy of of a sandy-loam character, and 

 the building so arranged as to give sufficient head room for storing 

 and caring for the crop. Buildings for this purpose vary in width 

 from 12 or 14 to 28 or more feet. The side walls are insulated to 

 protect the plants next to them, either by banking up the outside 

 or by a frost-proof construction like that already described. A roof 

 is then made of boards, with battens or paper. In some cases 

 where the industry is of a permanent nature the houses are con- 

 structed of concrete and have a shingle or slate roof. Enough ven- 

 tilating flues must be provided to control the temperature inside 

 the pit, and windows must be cut in the roof to furnish necessary 

 light for those who care for the crop during the storage period. 

 Large storage" houses designed for sweet potatoes and onions must 

 have flues and ventilating arrangements to remove moisture and 

 to keep the temperature within the limits of safety. In some cases 

 this- necessitates both a heating apparatus and a ventilating and 

 cooling apparatus. In the case of Irish potatoes and celery it is 

 desirable that .they be stored in as close contact with the earth as 

 is practicable. Thus the product is on a firmer foundation, and the 

 moisture of the earth has a beneficial influence on the quality of 

 these vegetables if -they remain in storage for any length of time. 

 There are now a few growers of celery who have provided them- 

 selves with cold-storage facilities for holding their crop of celery. 

 Under cold storage the crop cannot be held for more than three 

 months, but a few^ weeks often makes a great difference in the 

 value of <a perishable crop of this character. 



