34 2 Gardening 



The cellar without a furnace, or the cool room in a 

 cellar containing a furnace, is undoubtedly the most 

 satisfactory means of storing vegetables for home con- 

 sumption. A dirt floor helps to keep the air moist, 

 but if the floor is made of cement, it may be covered 

 with 2 or more inches of sand and sprinkled occasion- 

 ally. 



Vegetables that must be stored in dry air. Squashes, 

 pumpkins, and sweet potatoes keep best when stored in a 

 warm, dry place. They may be placed on shelves or in 

 crates near the furnace. Onions need a cool, dry place. 

 The cool room is usually too damp for them, and a cellar 

 with a furnace in it is likely to be too warm. They do 

 not suffer from slight freezing and usually keep best in 

 the attic, or even in a barn or workshop. 



Outdoor storage cellars. Simple one-room cellars 

 built so that they are dry and free from frost are often 

 made out-of-doors. In the South they are usually built 

 entirely above ground ; in the North they are generally 

 built partly or wholly below ground. They may be 

 made like a cave in a side hill. Walls of stonework or 

 concrete are desirable. The roof may be made of con- 

 crete, with a dirt covering ; or of lumber, double walled 

 and insulated with paper ; or of poles and planks covered 

 with earth and straw. Outdoor cellars are, of course, 

 most suitable on farms and large truck gardens where 

 there are often considerable amounts of vegetables to be 

 stored. 



A barrel storage pit. The simplest and perhaps the 

 best outdoor storage place for the owner of a small home 

 garden is the barrel pit. To make this, a barrel is placed 



