PETER HENDERSON & CO., NEW YORK— VEGETABLE SEEDS. 



HOW TO STORE VEGETABLES FOR WINTER US1 



DRAIN AT ^ 



^EACH S/£>£ 



The old saying that "the way to have is to keep," applies to vegetables 

 and fruit as well as to money, and there is no doubt that good economy 

 requires that everything grown beyond what is wanted for immediate 

 use should be kept for consumption in winter time. 



Vegetables and fruits begin to decay in most cases shortly after 

 picking. This is due to the attacks of certain bacteria, which immedi 

 ately start the process of decomposition. 



In canning and preserving these bacteria are 

 destroyed by heat sterilization, and similarly 

 vegetables may also be kept for use in winter by 

 drying or by storing under conditions similar to 

 those required for their growth. The best and 

 easiest method of keeping vegetables is by storing 

 m cellars or in pits in the open ground, and on this 

 page we illustrate ways in which this may be done. 



Store only sound, well-matured specimens. When one 

 has a ventilated cold cellar in the house, the cold-storage 

 problem is simplified, but in many homes the heat from the 

 furnaces renders it impossible to keep vegetables for any 

 length of time, so that outside storage must be resorted to. 

 The simplest outdoor storage is "pitting" the suitable vege- 

 tables. On account of the amount of air contained in a 

 cellar of this kind very uniform conditions are obtained. 

 Not only may the hardy roots be stored in it, but also 

 Celery, Cabbage, Brussels Sprouts, and Leek plants may be 

 placed upright, roots on the ground, and will keep in prime 

 condition. 



"ROOT CROPS," including Beets, Turnips, Carrots, 

 Rutabagas, Parsnips, Salsify and Winter Radish. These 

 are all easy to keep in either cellar or pit and require more 

 moisture than Potatoes. So they are best packed in sand, 

 light soil or spaghnum moss moistened. They should be 

 dug before severe frost. Cut off the tops to within an inch 

 of the root, but leave the roots on. Parsnips and Salsify 

 may also be left out where they grew and dug for use when 

 the ground thaws out. 



BRUSSELS SPROUTS. Pull the plants after frost, 

 leaving roots on. Stand upright on soil in the outdoor cellar. 



CABBAGE requires to be kept in moist cold. Pull the 

 plants, leaving all leaves, stems and dirt on. Place close 

 together,- heads down in a trench 1 foot deep. Cover with 

 6 inches of straw and before freezing weather add 3 or 

 4 inches of soil, and before winter sets in increase the soil, 

 covering to a foot in thickness. Cabbage may also be stored 

 in the outdoor cellar, standing them upright, the roots on soil. 



CELERY requires to be kept as cool as possible without 

 freezing. For early winter use, it should be partially 

 blanched in the garden; but for later winter use, it should be 

 put away green. Store as late as possible, but before freez- 

 ing. One method is to dig a trench as deep as the Celery 

 is high and as narrow as possible to pack the Celery snugly 

 in an upright position, roots on the soil. Cover with straw, 

 hay or leaves, then add 6 to 8 inches of soil. In the outdoor 

 cellar it is stood up with roots on moist soil. In the house 

 cellar store the Celery in narrow boxes or barrels not quite 

 the height of the plants. A few inches of damp soil or sand 

 is placed in the bottom; pack the celery in upright with 

 roots in contact with the sand; pack moderately tight to 

 exclude the air so the Celery will not wilt. The moist sand 

 at the roots will sustain it. The soil should be watered as 

 often as needed to keep it from drying out — put water through 

 holes about 8 inches apart bored through the boxes just 

 above the soil or sand — do not wet the foliage or stalks. 

 Thus packed and the boxes placed in a cool cellar. Celery 

 will blanch and be fit to use in four to seven weeks, according 

 to the variety. 



CUCUMBER. Treat in same manner as Tomato. 



EGG-PLANT. Treat in same manner as Tomato. 



KALE. Stands right out in the garden. Pull leaves as 

 required. Frost improves the flavor. 



V\J\X 0^ ST SAW 



p/pe for 



fVT/(_ATi 



lORAINA'i 



The Making of an Outdoor Pit 



LEEK. Store green; leave roots and leaves on; 

 close together, standing with roots on soil or sand in 

 outdoor cellar or trench, like Celery. 



ONION. Cool, dry air is best. When thoroughly cu 

 remove tops and store on slatted shelves or in trays in a cc 

 airy, frost-proof loft or room. Damp air causes Onions 

 sprout. 



PEPPER. Treat in same manner as Tomato. 



POTATOES, if dug in mild weather, are best left on 

 ground in a heap and covered with straw or hay to keep 

 sun off. Before freezing weather store in dry, cold cellai 

 pit. 



PUMPKIN, SQUASH and SWEET POTATOES k 

 best in the dry atmosphere of a loft or room at about 

 degrees. If warmer they lose weight; if moist they 

 Gather before frost and leave the stems on. 



SALSIFY. Follow directions given to Parsnip. 



SPINACH, WINTER, remaining in the garden should 

 covered, after the ground has lightly frozen, with straw; 

 hay to a depth of about 6 inches to^check successive freez 

 and thawing. Corn Salad may be treated in the same w 



TOMATO. Gather the large, unripened fruits bef : 

 frost and lay without touching each other on excelsior, 1 

 or straw, to permit circulation of air about them. PI 

 in the shade in room of moderate temperature and they 

 continue to ripen and color up, sometimes lasting u 

 Christmas. 



* 



Storing Cabbage in Pit Covered with Boards and Mulched with Straw 



Cabbage or Celery May be Stored in Trenches 



1-J«~ A^r-^rft. C n J a n r„:J fl „« J R*w— %«-J revised, rewritten and brought up to date price 25c. SENT FR 



Henderson s Uarden ouide and i\ecord with ev ^ ry order for $2.00 and upwards, if 



asked for when orderi 



