EXERCISES, SURVEYS, AND PROJECTS 119 



be blanched before using they are covered either with coarse 

 litter, or may be covered with crates or boxes to exclude the light. 

 Jerusalem Artichoke. — This product resembles the Irish potato. 

 The plant itself belongs, to the sunflower family and the flowers 

 and leaves resemble other sunflowers. The tubers are not much 

 used for human food, but are palatable and nutritious. Fields of 

 the crop are grown by planting the tubers or the seeds. The crop 

 is sometimes utilized by allowing pigs to root out the tubers and 

 feed upon them. As many of the tubers are left in the ground and 

 will grow the following year they should be started at only one 

 side of the garden or in a remote place where they will not injure 

 annual crops or become serious weeds. 



EXERCISES, SURVEYS, AND PROJECTS 



1-4. Read Nos. 1 to 4 given at the close of Chapter X. Now use the 

 crops included in Chapter XI. 



5. Resistance to freezing should be tried by growing crops started in the 

 fall. Plant the different crops of the onion group, including garlic, leeks, shal- 

 lots, and chives; also use young and old chard, collards, parsley, upland cress, 

 kale, endive, mature carrots, mature parsnips, mature salsify and young beets. 

 A part of each crop left in the garden for winter may be protected with differ- 

 ent amounts of Utter. Note when each lot begins to die, if at all. Record the 

 minimum temperatures each night. 



6. Endurance of summer heat should be studied by growing crops included 

 in this chapter. Start them in early spring and note the effect on each as hot 

 weather comes. The effects of drouth should be noted in each case. Do the 

 products become strong in flavor, tough, woody, or do the plants run to seed, 

 or stop growth, or do they thrive well? 



7. Onions of several varieties should be grown to determine which are best 

 for use in producing ripe onions from seed, to be stored or marketed. Also 

 make a trial at the same time to see which are best for producing onion sets 

 to sell or to plant at home. Soil and season often influence the growth of 

 onion sets. 



8. Storage of special crops such as beets, carrots, and onions for winter 

 should be tried at home. Use several of the best plans known and compare 

 them. Also store parsnips and salsify by placing them in pits, cellars, or deep 

 in the ground and compare with some left to freeze in the garden rows. Which 

 are sweetest? Which keep best? 



9. Drying vegetables for winter use is a good home project for both young 

 men and young women. Use the plan suggested in U. S. Farmers Bulletin 841, 

 or elsewhere. A number of the vegetables in the home garden should be dried. 

 Compare the results with other methods of saving them. 



10. Canning vegetables for market and for home use is also suitable for 

 home projects for garden students. Read the methods given in U. S. Farmers' 

 Bulletin 853 and in other bulletins. Containers of different kinds, different 

 methods of packing, etc., may be tried. Calculate the profits after selling or 

 using. 



11. Horse-radish harvested in late fall maybe grated or ground in a meat 

 grinder and preserved in bottles with a little clear vinegar. The bottles may 

 be neatly labeled and sold or used during the winter. 



