C6 opy 1 THE SUCCESSFUL STORAGE OF CABBAGE AND OTHER VEGETABLES By Chas. J. Cook COPYRIGHT 10I7-CHAS, J, COOK YANKTON. S, DAK. JULY 5th. 1917 i)X> -50 .CC STORING THE VEGETABLE CROP briefly slated means just this — be yotir own business man— be your own speculator, with the odds all on your side. On all classes of veg'etables, in five j'ears out of six, (with the possible exception of potatoes) values double and of- ten treble from the time these commodities leave the yiower in the fall until the time they reach the ultimate consumer a few months later. And, especiallj' is this true of Cabbage, because it is the most diffi- cult product in the vegetable world to store successfully, and this is aijparently the reason the average farmer consig'ns most of his crop to the kraut barrel, and the commercial g-rower is usually g-lad to "cut loose" as soon as the big- wholesale bu3ers (speculators) from the city make an appearance. These fellows make a practice of bny- ing- froin the grower in carload lots and accunuilating* their pur- chases at some central distributing- point, or wherever thej' maj' have adequate storage facilities. Generally market prices are depressed at the harvest season as a natural result of the common practice of the inajority of growers to sell direct frona Ihe field oftentimes "swamping" tlie market. With a better tinderatanding- of the merits of storag^e and the installation of storag^e facilities on the premises of the truck farmer conditions could gradually be overcome which are almost intolerable. For instance, the averag-e price paid in the fall varies from $5.00 to $20.00 per ton; however, deals from the latter fig-- ure up as high as $40.00 per ton were made quite frequentlj- during' the late fall of 1910, this being- an exceptionallj- short-crop cabbage season. Bj' a comi)arison of these figures with the price paid by the consumer during- the winter and si)ring- months, rang-ing froin 3c to Gc per pound, and as high as 17ic per pound at Yankton and elsewhere in the spring- of 1917, there is no doubt but what everyone will readily come to the conclusion that there are enormous profits to be derived through equipping- ourselves with ample stoiag-e rooms for our own products, and that a thorough investigation of scientific storage will l)e greatlj- rewarded. CABBAGE is tlie most difficuU of all vegetables to keep for anj- length of time inasmuch as it is composed about 7o% of moisture. If it is placed in a warm room, naturally, evaporation will soon reduce the head to a pulp. If piled in a heap, as we would store potatoes, the larg-e amount of moistiu-e will cause it to heat and decay just as a bin of wet grain would do. The method which I have found to be most satisfactory- and which I am now using- is this: I have a spec- ial apartmetit alotted for cabbage and cabbage onl}'; in this apart- ment I have built frames made of ordinarj' heav^- posts and 2x8's as joists. The joists are spaced two feet apart verticallj'. On these joists I lay a loose floor (or semi-floor) using- 2x4' s and spacing- them about four inches apart. The floor is put in place as I lay away the cab- bag-e. The idea in spacing- the floor is to allow the air to circulate all around and between the cabbag-e. Otherwise, it will heat and decaj'. This g-ives me a shelf, or rather a frame-work of shelves, two feet m 15 1917 apart, and as it is impossible to ]a3' the heads intact it will leadilj' be observed that there will be an air space above each tier of cabbag^e. This space permits circulation of air all around the cabbage. I main- tain a temperatiire of about 36 degrees above Fahrenheit, and never allow it to g-o over 40 degrees or below 30 deg'rees. An even temper- ature is essential as it affords less evaporation. Slightlj^ freezing- will improve the qualitj', though if it is allowed to freeze and thaw at different intervals, this will have a tendency toward impairing- its long keeping- qualities. I always remove the roots and practicallj' all surplus leaves when placing- on shelves, leaving- just enoug-h leaves as to allow a final trimming- when the heads are being- packed for market, as this g-ives a brig-hi, clean, fresh appearance. It is best to remove the crop from the field into storag-e in the afternoon, or at a time when they are dr)'^— too much moisture is the cause of decay, and especially is this true if storag-e room is kept warm. I never har- vest my crop untill the latter part of October and often as late as the first week of November, whenever it is cool enough so that tempera- ture can be lowered suflicientl}' in storag-e room. A large ventilator in the form of a sk3'-light is installed in the center of each storage apartment. Good and efticient ventilation is essential. WHEN IMPOSSIBLE TO MAINTAIN A LOW TEMERATURE the placing- of each head seperatelj^ in a wrapping-, or several wrapping-s of paper, (oiled paper is preferable) will aid rnateriall}^ in protecting- the keeping qualities, inasmuch as this will have a tendency toward preventing- direct exposure to radical changes in atmosphere, thereby preserving- the natural juices. Tfie adherrence of roots and leaves and hanging- up by loots is a very common practice. With this method the usual coveted point is the preservation of moisture, and I doubt whether it is as practical and desirable as wrapping- in paper. On account of increased bulk mucli more storag-e room is required. THE AVERAGE FARMER OR SMALL GARDENER who is not equipped with proper storage cellar will undoubtedly be interested in a good out-door method of wintering- cabbage; take an ordinary plow or lister with which provide a deep furrow — in this furrow line up the cabbage roots up, cover over with dirt and then a lieav^3^ layer of straw or litter to prevent alternate freezing and thawing before j^ou are ready to unearth in the spring. The soil should be allowed to draw out the frost gradually, or thej' can be removed when in a frozen condition and allowed to thaw out slowly in a cool room not warmer than 40 degrees above Fafirenheit. They will come out fresh, crisp and in excellent condition. Considerable success is attained by digging larger trenches and piling the cabbage in pja-amids, but they are more liable to heat and decay if kept in this manner. / LIBRARY OF CONGRESS • ONIONS must be kept in a cool, dry n 002 763 786 3 or an}' other source of moisture. Teinperature should be maintained at 40 to 45 deg-rees above Fahrenheit. They should be placed on shelves or arrang-ed in such a way so that thej' can be stirred up occasionallJ^ I have had fairlj' good success storing' in bushel crates and stirring- them around by removing- from one crate into another at different times throughout the winter. This loosens them in the crates and permits circulation of air more readily. Onions should always be well cured and thoroughly drj^ when placed in storag-e. CARROTS, PARSNIPS, ETC, should be placed in bins practi- call)' the same as potatoes. Temperature should be held at about 40 deg-rees above Fahrenheit. A lig-ht covering- of sand or dirt will prevent withering- and enhance long- keeping- qualities. My farm is located 2i miles West of the City of Yankton. Soil is composed larg-elj^ of heavv black Missouri bottommuck, ideal cab- bag-e g-rowing- soil, but a trifle too heavj-for growing other vegetables with success. Consequently, I am specializing- on cabbag-e. I have constructed a solid concrete cellar measuring- 20x44 feet. M3' entire crop is placed in storage and I find little trouble in making- sales at very satisfactory prices. I have a steadily g-rowing- list of shipping^ customers in adjacent territor}^ besides supplying all of our home trade reg-ularly tantil new cabbage appears on the market. In fact, I have a sale recorded made on Ma}' 15th to the South Dakota State Hospital for One Ton of Cabbage. NOW, that a universal food shortag-e threatens our country, I trust that these few lines will help man}' in keeping down the hig-h cost of living-, and that we will all do away with the usual practice of transferring our surplus vegetables to "old bossy" at the harvest season, just because they are cheap and plentiful. Let us SAVF) and KCONOMIZK and thereby "Do your bit" toward feeding the world. Yours respectfully, CHAS. J. COOK u«3 \ LIBRARY OF CONGRESS D00E7t.37at,3