FRUIT STORAGE II5 



tables are stored in great quantities and with general 

 success. 



Vegetables are usually stored in pits or in root 

 cellars, such as will be described further on in this 

 chapter. Mr. Dean Ferris, market gardener, of Peeks- 

 kill, N. Y. , who is very successful in keeping vege- 

 tables, has given me a description of his methods, 

 which I reproduce entire. He says: "We dig carrots 

 in October, put them in conical heaps on the surface, 

 containing ten to fifteen barrels each, cover with the 

 tops, and leave thus until approach of cold weather, 

 when they are covered with soil at intervals as the 

 weather gets more severe, until the covering is about 

 one foot deep. Beets are also stored at the same 

 time and in the same manner. Parsnips, salsify, tur- 

 nips, rutabagas are not gathered until November, and 

 are then treated the same as carrots. Horseradish is 

 dug as late in November as it is safe to leave. It is 

 put in heaps of not over seven barrels each, and with a 

 liberal amount of soil mixed through it at the time 

 each basketful is emptied. Horseradish sets require 

 more care, and are put in heaps of two or three barrels, 

 with as much soil mixed through them as possible. 

 Onions are stored in a dry loft where it freezes, and 

 those intended for spring market are allowed to freeze 

 and are then covered with hay or straw to a depth of 

 nearly a foot, and this is not removed until the frost 

 is entirely drawn out. Those for winter sales are not 

 allowed to freeze nor to grow with too much heat. 

 The best temperature, I think, is just above thirty-two 

 degrees. Squashes and pumpkins are best kept in a 

 dry place where the thermometer will indicate forty to 



