November, 1914 



THE GARDEN MAGAZINE 



129 



these stones were simply dragged into 

 position and left. If several loads of soil 

 should be filled in over and between the 

 rocks they would immediately look much 

 more natural. 



As a landscape composition this large 

 rockery would be very much improved if 

 several good sized shrubs and one or more 

 trees were to be planted here and there. 

 Everything planted should be varieties 



which naturally grow in the neighborhood 

 under similar conditions. Near the water- 

 way I would put wild alder and higher up 

 between the rocks the wild barberry and a 

 couple of red cedars and junipers. 



Various methods of keeping garden produce. Tomato vines may be hung upside down under cover, 

 the fruit ripening gradually; cabbages may be kept in the cellar suspended from the rafters, several 

 heads being tied together. These five types of "containers" are used for keeping vegetables and fruit 

 and may be obtained at small cost from any grocery store 



Saving the Season's Produce— b 7 f. f. Rockwell, 



GETTING A CROP WELL GROWN IS ONLY HALF THE STORY— SAVING 

 AND KEEPING IS JUST AS IMPORTANT AS GETTING A GOOD YIELD 



Con- 

 necticut 



IN HARVESTING, as in planting, the 

 various crops may be considered in two 

 general groups — the hardy and the 

 tender. The small grower may not be 

 able to have storage facilities especially 

 designed to accommodate special crops, but 

 he can provide suitable quarters by the use 

 of a little ingenuity. A good dry, cool, tight 

 cellar is of the greatest value for storage 

 purposes, but even where such is not avail- 

 able, substitutes may be found. 



Squashes, pumpkins, melons and cucum- 

 bers should be gathered before danger of 

 first hard frost. Usually a light "touch" 

 that blackens the foliage will come first as a 

 reminder, but if it is getting late in the 

 season, do not wait for this warning. The 

 muskmelons and cucumbers may be cut 

 where the stem joins the vine, but the 

 squashes, pumpkins and watermelons 

 should be cut with an inch or so of vine 

 on each side of the stem, which should 

 never be broken off. 



Brush the soil from the under side, and 

 turn them bottom side up to dry thoroughly. 

 Handle them always as if they were eggs. 

 Even though the rind may seem quite 

 hard it bruises very easily, and a bruise that 

 cannot be seen at all when it is made will 

 develop later into a decayed spot that will 

 spread rapidly over the whole fruit and 

 possibly spoil those next to it. The drier 

 the air the better (an ideal place being in a 

 room with a furnace or stove) , but the tem- 

 perature should be kept as near forty de- 

 grees as possible. Don't discard the small 

 immature squashes gathered: these are the 

 best to keep, and often may be had in good 

 condition for the table after the larger ones 

 have been used. Melons and cucumbers 

 may be stored in straw or leaves in a dark 

 cool place, and used up as they ripen. 



Beans. All the pole beans and most- of 

 the bush beans are good for winter use, 

 gathered as soon as the pods dry, even if 

 there is no danger of frost. If the work has 

 to be done in a hurry, the plants may be 

 pulled and hung up under cover where they 

 will dry. 



Tomatoes. The first hard frost usually 

 doubles the price of tomatoes. All the 

 fruits on the vines should be gathered when 

 the first hard frost threatens. The more 

 mature will ripen up gradually for some 

 time to come, and the green ones are usually 

 in good demand for pickling. A few plants 

 may be taken up and hung upside down in 

 a shed or dry cellar, letting the fruit 

 ripen on the vines, which it will continue 



Slatted crates are ideal for storing onions and anything 

 else that needs a dry atmosphere. They may be stacked 

 one on top of another 



T29 



to do for a surprisingly long time. Some 

 of the best of the green fruits placed in clean 

 straw in a dry cold part of the cellar or 

 storehouse will often ripen for Thanks- 

 giving and even later. 



Okra. The plants may be cut and the pods 

 allowed to dry, and used for flavoring. 



Sweet potatoes should be dug as soon as. 

 the tops are killed, dried thoroughly, and 

 then stored in open crates in the attic near 

 a chimney, or in some similar spot where 

 they can be kept as dry and as warm a& 

 possible. 



Eggplants and pepLers, though usually 

 not injured by the first light frosts that 

 blacken the leaves, should be gathered be- 

 fore danger of frosts that would blister the 

 fruits, and kept in the same way as sug- 

 gested for melons and cucumbers. 



Sweet corn. When frost threatens, cut 

 stalks and all, just as for field corn. It may 

 be shocked in the same way, and the ears 

 will remain in good condition much longer 

 than if pulled from the stalks. 



In picking the tree fruits too much care 

 cannot be taken to prevent the slightest 

 bruising. A bruise so slight as to be in- 

 visible at the time will develop into a de- 

 cayed spot later. Only the soundest and 

 greenest should be stored away. Barrels, 

 or cracker boxes, which hold practically a 

 bushel each, make good containers. The 

 latter for home use are more convenient. 

 Pears should be stored in a dark, cool, well 

 ventilated place. The rapidity with which 

 they ripen will depend to a large extent upon 

 the temperature. For long keeping it 

 should be kept as near thirty-two as possible. 



While a number of the late crops are 

 handled in much the same way, three of the 

 most important of them, potatoes, onions, 

 and celery, require individual methods of 



