storing and Burying 



457 



or two small ventilators should be provided at the top of 

 the cave, and one at the bottom of the door. These should 

 be arranged to open and close." 



The lurying of vegetables. 



Most root crops, as beets, carrots, potatoes, are kept over 

 winter with ease by burying them in the field. It is weJl 

 to choose a warm and well-drained place. The pit is cov- 

 ered very lightly at first, and more covering added as the 

 cold weather comes on. If the full covering is applied at 

 first the products are likely to heat and decay sets in. Be 

 sure that the beets and potatoes are not attacked by fun- 

 gous diseases before they are put in the pit. 



It is customary to make a small circular or rectangular 

 excavation six inches to a foot deep and from six to eight 

 feet across. In this the roots are piled in a tall cone. 

 Straw or salt-hay or rather dry litter is then thrown over 

 the pile to protect from the early frosts. As the season 

 advances, an inch or two of earth is thrown over the straw 

 and finally, when winter threatens to close in, the pile is 

 covered deep enough to give full protection. Usually ten 

 to twelve inches of earth over the straw will be sufficient, 

 the straw itself being four to six inches thick after it is 

 wtII matted down. In severe climates the earth may then 

 be covered with a foot or two of horse manure. Apples 

 can be buried in this way with very good results, particu- 

 larly the long-keeping varieties, as Eussets. 



The pit may be elongated to any distance required. It 

 is well not to make it much wider than six or eight feet, 

 else the vegetables are likely to heat and there may be too 

 great pressure on the lowermost tubers. 



