458 



Marketing, Storing, Drying 



247. Cress-section of a trench. 



An excellent modification of the long pit is the compart- 

 ment-pit. This has narrow partitions of earth every four 

 or five feet, thus preventing the heating of the vegetables 

 and also allowing one compartment to be emptied in winter 



without exposing an- 

 other. A good one 

 is shown in Fig. 247 

 (from Cornell Eead- 

 ing-Course). Usually 

 these compartment- 

 pits are sunk two or 

 three feet in the earth 

 and a partition of soil six to twelve inches is left between 

 the excavations. Each pit i& then filled until it is 

 " rounded full " and is covered as above described. It is 

 often difficult to make these partitions hold their shape, 

 however, particularly in loose and sandy land. In such 

 cases the vegetables may be heaped in several piles in a 

 long pit and earth tramped in between the piles. 



Whatever the style of pit, it is essential that the soil be 

 naturally well drained, and a furrow or ditch should bo 

 opened around the pit to carry off surface water. 



3. DRYING 



It is not the purpose of this book to discuss the preser- 

 vation of vegetables; yet the importance of the subject 

 has latterly become so great that the drying of vegetables 

 for home use can hardly be passed over. The home can- 

 ning of vegetables is better understood, and, moreover, a 

 discussion of it would be too extensive for this place, and 

 it is a culinary operation. 



