280 
VEGETABLE GARDENING 
the amount of storage space provided, and are more con- 
venient in use. These pits are dug about 2 feet deep, 
and the sides made of brick, stone, concrete or wood. A 
well-drained location should be selected for the pits near 
the farm buildings, where it will be convenient to care for 
them and to prepare the crop for market. The roof con- 
struction may be of boards or concrete, and provision 
must be made for ventilation, as explained in the 
previous paragraph. Strawy horse manure is excellent 
to cover the roof. Inexpensive pits should be in more 
general use among growers who do not produce enough 
winter cabbage to justify the erection of storage houses. 
Various methods of burying or partial burying are in 
use. Where the winters are mild, little protection is 
necessary. Near Washington, D. C., the plants are 
pulled and stood upright in long, shallow trenches 5 or 
6 feet wide ; a furrow is thrown up on both sides and 
marsh hay spread over the tops of the heads, the amount 
of hay being increased when the weather becomes severe. 
With this plan the heads become solid and may be easily 
removed at any time during the winter. Farther north 
the plan is modified by making narrow trenches and pro- 
viding better protection by using more soil, hay or 
manure. A favorite plan in southern Maryland is to turn 
the heads where they grow toward the north, and to 
cover the stems and the lower part of the heads with 
earth. If preferred, the heads may be gathered together 
and protected in this way. 
On Long Island a very common method is to draw a 
furrow 6 to 8 inches deep, pull and place the plants in 
the trench with heads down. A furrow thrown from each 
side completes the work of burying. This makes a cover- 
ing of about 1 foot of soil, which is ample for that locality. 
The following plan of burying cabbage has been suc- 
cessful and may be used in all parts of the North: The 
crop is cut with sharp hatchets, stubs 4 or 5 inches long 
