1912. 
1203 
THE STORAGE OF CROPS. 
Part I. 
Storage Receptacles. — There are 
several forms of receptacles used for 
various vegetables, now in use, which 
serve their purpose admirably. As all 
vegetables do not have the same re¬ 
quirements as to temperature, moisture, 
ventilation and light, special arrange¬ 
ments for the accommodation of each 
class of vegetables must be made. As 
has been pointed out, such vegetables as 
the squash need a very dry, fairly warm 
place while roots, celery, potatoes, etc., 
do very well in a root cellar where the 
temperature is low and extreme dry¬ 
ness is not essential. Many contrivances 
and methods of storage have been de¬ 
vised to meet the various requirements. 
The pit method can be used to good ad¬ 
vantage with some vegetables, and is 
probably the most simple method of 
storage. 
Some of the advantages claimed for 
the pit method where it can be used 
are little or no evaporation, better 
flavor of produce, and very easy to use. 
The pit is used mostly for root crops 
and potatoes, although the same method 
is sometimes used for apples and like 
fruits. The pits should be made as 
near to the place where the crops are 
grown as possible, selecting a well- 
drained site. It may be more conven¬ 
ient to have the pits near the barns or 
work-shops, and if this is the case a 
site should be selected accordingly. Be¬ 
fore pitting, all roots should be topped. 
This can be successfully done in the case 
of rutabagas and sometimes with other 
roots with a sharp hoe while the crop 
is still in the ground. A sharp blow 
well directed severs the top cleanly. 
However, if for any reason this is im¬ 
practicable a butcher knife may be used 
in topping turnips and rutabagas, while 
parsnips, carrots and the like can be 
snapped off with the hands. Shallow 
pits are dug about six inches deep and 
about three feet wide and as long as 
is necessary to accommodate the crop 
or portion of same. A couple of inches 
of straw is spread over the bottom of 
the pit and the roots piled upon this. 
They should be piled so that the pile 
when finished resembles an inverted 
trough, thus shedding the rain. A light 
covering of straw marsh-hay or other 
material is then spread over the pile, 
over which three or four inches of earth 
fTHE rural, 
is spread. A bundle of coarse straw or 
oats should be stood on end every four 
or five feet forming a ventilator. This 
is taken out and the opening covered as 
cooler weather begins. More manure 
be thrown over the pit as severe weather 
sets in. Roots can be kept in this man¬ 
ner until the latter part of March in 
perfect condition. It should be said that 
in throwing the earth covering over the 
roots, the earth should be taken from 
around the pit, forming a trench leading 
to the lower side, so that all water is 
drained off. 
Cellar Storage.— It is not good prac¬ 
tice to store roots, cabbage and the like 
in the cellar under the dwelling house, 
especially if they are stored in any 
quantity. It is a very unsanitary prac¬ 
tice and cannot be too strongly con¬ 
demned. There is no better medium for 
the development of the germs and bac¬ 
teria which cause some of our most 
serious diseases than decaying vegeta¬ 
ble matter. No farmer or gardener 
should be without a root-cellar on ac¬ 
count of its accessibility and the avoid¬ 
ance of the undesirable features, connec¬ 
ted with storing vegetables and fruits in 
the home cellar. There is no need to 
build an elaborate structure. The same 
results may be had from an inexpensive 
root cellar constructed at odd times as 
from one of fine appearance and struc¬ 
ture. Such a structure may be partially 
hidden behind some of the larger farm 
buildings if desired. The site should be 
selected with reference to drainage, pro¬ 
tection from winds and accessibility. In 
order to insure our crops to be stored 
against excessive moisture and its at¬ 
tendant evils it is essential that our loca¬ 
tion should be well drained, naturally 
or otherwise. It would be wise to build 
the building somewhat larger than 
present needs demand, so that an in¬ 
creased yield could be accommodated. 
The excavation should be made to a 
depth of three or four feet, as large 
as is desired. The bottom of the exca¬ 
vation should be carefully leveled and 
firmed. The walls should be made one 
foot thick, and should be composed of 
a grout mixture in the proportion ^f six 
or seven parts of gravel to one of 
cement. This should be poured into a 
form made of odds and ends of lumber, 
but this form must be tight, else a rough 
wall will result. The wall should be 
NEW-VORKER 
commenced below the frost line, else 
heaving and cracking from the frost 
may result. The wall should be brought 
up to about two feet above the level 
of the ground. The walls at the ends 
should be built so as to support the 
roof, like an inverted letter V. Space 
should be left for a door and window 
at one end and a window in the other 
end. A double roof covered with a 
good roofing paper or tar paper is the 
usual method, although a single board 
roof covered with loam or sod is effi¬ 
cient and cheap. The door and windows 
must be tightly fitted and the latter 
should be double. The entrance should 
be made on an incline. One or two 
ventilators should be constructed so 
that they may be operated from the in¬ 
side of the cellar with convenience. The 
interior should be divided into two bins 
by an aisle running lengthwise of the 
house. The house should be kept as 
cool as possible after the crops are in 
storage until the approach of dangerous 
cold weather, when the ventilators, win¬ 
dows and door should be closed. Dur¬ 
ing moderate spells of weather the house 
should be ventilated. When refuse has 
accumulated it should be removed and 
all rotten or decayed vegetables should 
also be taken out. In fact it is well to 
sort over the stored crops once or twice 
if kept long. In the Spring the place 
should be opened wide and allowed to 
dry out thoroughly, j. vernon slieap. 
Michigan. 
HOMEMADE CORN KNIFE 
The cut shows how I made a handy 
corn knife from an old bush scythe. The 
blade was cut out along the dotted line 
with a cold chisel and a hole and notch 
made as shown. An old fork handle was 
worked down to proper shape and holes 
for one-fourth inch bolts bored. By keep¬ 
ing the nuts tight the blade will stay in 
place when in use, but can be shut like a 
ja«k-knife otherwise. g. O. 
New York. 
THE HIGH-SCHOOL QUESTION. 
On page 847 .T. A. F. of Illinois asks 
for criticisms of the “high school’’ course 
given in his town. In the first place, a 
school that gives such limited choice as 
that is decidedly not a high school. I 
think I can safely say that everything in 
that course except Latin, chemistry, 
zoology, geometry and physics should have 
been taught in the grammar school, for 
this reason: The high school prepares for 
college or life. With so small a per cent 
going to college, I think it is only fair 
that the town send No. 25 out of' town 
for preparation for college, and treat the 
other 24 as follows: .1. A. F. says that 
24 “go into stores, shops, trades, farms 
and housekeeping.'’ For those that “go 
into stores, shops, trades and farms’’ I 
suggest a four-year course based upon the 
elementary sciences, history, civics, eco¬ 
nomics, geography and mathematics; no 
languages and no manual training. In¬ 
stead of making tables, chairs and other 
baubles, give the students actual practice 
in bookkeeping, accounts, business manage¬ 
ment and, above all, agriculture to supple¬ 
ment the above studies. That will fit them 
for “stores, shops or trades and farms.” 
For those who go into “housekeeping,” 
what is better than a domestic science 
course? If students are to be sent to 
college, base your course on the college 
entrance requirements. 
Connecticut. james r. case. 
The most serious shortcoming of the 
average high school to-day is the lack of 
correlation with the natural x - esources and 
industries of the community it pretends to 
serve. Ninety per cent of the money spent 
benefits but 10 per cent of the children. 
The situation in Skowhegan, Me., is typical. 
Located in the broad valley of the Ken¬ 
nebec, the town contains several thousand 
acres of as fine agricultural land as may 
be found out of doors. There is also a 
40-foot fall in the river, capable of de¬ 
veloping 25,000 horsepower for 10 hours 
each day, minimum run. Not more than 
one-fourth of the tillable land is effectively 
cultivated, and the village population sub¬ 
sists largely on food products freighted 
from 100 to 3,000 miles. Four-fifths of 
the waterpower, equivalent to 17% tons 
of coal per day, runs to waste. Meanwhile 
the coal imported annually from the State 
of Pennsylvania amounts to 24 tons per 
day. Turning their backs on this wealth, 
of natural resources, two out of every 
three graduates from the high school 
leave town to find employment. All the 
choice positions in the business and manu¬ 
facturing establishments, with few excep¬ 
tions, are filled by men who received the 
necessary training elsewhere. Our school 
committee consists of a doctor, a lawyer 
and an undertaker. Good fellows, mind 
you, but totally oblivious to the real needs 
of the community. The superintendent of 
schools and the high school principal are 
both men of classical education, who have 
never done anything but teach. I believe 
that the first step towards reform is to 
“make the anvil ring”; am glad to see 
The R. N.-Y. getting into the game. 
CHRISTOPHER M. GALLUP. 
17 tons Silage per acre 
8 tons Silage per acr 
Breeders and Imp. 
Jersey Cattle 
BUCK CREEK ESTATE 
J. R. Retherford & Sons 
Breeders and Imp. 
English Berkshire Swine 
Federal Chemical Company, 
Columbia, Tenn. 
Muncie, Indiana 
Oct. 5, 1912 
Gentlemen:—We are sending you under separate cover photos of the result of our first year’s experience in the use of your Ground Rock 
Phosphate which we applied at rate of 800 pounds to the acre in connection with stable manure. No. 1 made at the rate of 17 tons of silage 
per acre, No. 2, which was not treated, made at the rate of 8 tons per acre. 
The fields lay immediately side by side with only a wire fence between them. Field No. 2 was a clover sod, broken and planted on 
May 9 (1912). Field No. 1 was an oat stubble which had previously been in corn for several years. The application of manure and 
phosphate was made to this field on April 5th to 10th and corn was planted on May 24 (1912). j R RETHERFORD. 
The above represents the result of intelligent soil treatment. 
Farmers in 35 states are now using this method of profitable and per¬ 
manent agriculture. The need of Phosphorus is not confined to the 
soils of any particular locality. Agricultural authorities early 
recognized this fact, and it will be evident to you when you bring to 
mind the ever decreasing crop yields on the older soils. 
You are interested in increasing your crop yields, and you know 
that the profit in farming is the difference between the cost of growing 
and the selling price. 
A system of maximum yields at minimum cost is offered you in 
our booklet, “ Nature’s Method of Fertilization.” Write us for it. 
Federal Chemical Co., Ground Rock Dept., Columbia, Tenn. 
