36 FARM-GARDENING AND SEED-GROWING. 



The seed-grower requires a room similar to this in 

 which to work wet days, clean seeds iu winter, etc., and 

 in addition, a dry, well-ventilated room for storing, and 

 an abundance of loft room for drying seeds, all of which 

 should be so constructed as to bo free from mice and rats, 

 which make sad havoc among seeds when they once get 

 in. Seed lofts should be divided, to prevent the seeds be- 

 coming mixed, by any means, while drying. 



STORING ROOTS FOR WINTER. 



Many roots are the most salable in winter, when there 

 are no green vegetables, and many seed crops require the 

 roots to be carefully preserved from frost during winter 

 and transplanted sound in the spring. To preserve them 

 properly is an important matter. The most natural and 

 the simplest plan, is to put them in pits. These should 

 not be very deep, nor very long, as it is not advisable to 

 store many in one bulk. A good size is one that will hold 

 about thirty-five bushels, twelve feet long, two feet deep, 

 two feet wide at the bottom, and two and a half feet at 

 the top. The pit should be filled rather more than even- 

 full, covered with six inches of straw and eight inches of 

 earth, which must be packed firm to turn the water. 



" Chimneys " of straw may protrude from the center 

 for ventilation, but if the bulk is small and the roots are 

 perfectly dry when put away, this will not be necessary. 

 At the approach of severe cold weather, the covering 

 should be increased to eighteen inches, or at least enough 

 to keep out the frost. 



Root-cellars were formerly used to some extent, and 

 will yet be found very convenient, where small lots of 

 roots arc frequently wanted. They can be made by dig- 

 ging, say six feet deep, any length and breadth, setting 

 posts and boarding up the sides, covering with a strong 



