278 
the root is formed into a brush of fibres ; and by thus prevent- 
ing the pushing of a tap-root, the plant never runs to seed be- 
fore the following spring.” —Cal. hort. mem. vol. 2. 
Transplanting into trenches.—When either the plants left in 
the seed-bed, or those removed, are from 6 to 12 inches high, 
or when the latter have acquired a stalky growth, by 4 or 5 
weeks’ nurture in the intermediate bed, transplant them into 
trenches for blanching. For this purpose allot an open com- 
partment. Mark out the trenches a foot wide, and from 3 feet 
to 34 distant; dig out each trench lengthwise, a spade in width, 
and a light spit deep, that is, 6 or 8 inches, or even a foot. Lay 
the excavated earth smoothly in the intervals, making the edges 
of the trenches equally full and straight; also loosen the bottom 
moderately, in a level order, to receive the plants. Before in- 
serting them, it would essentially strengthen the soil, to apply 
some good rotten dung in each trench 3 inches thick, and let it 
be dug into the bottom regularly a moderate depth. Then having 
lifted the plants, just thin any long straggling tops of the leaves 
and fibres of the roots; also slip off side shoots; plant a single 
row along the bottom of each trench, 4 or 5 inches apart. Give 
a good watering directly, and occasionally after, if the weather 
be dry, till the plants take root, and show renewed growth. 
Continue planting out a monthly succession in June, July, Au- 
gust, and September; thus providing for a supply from July 
and August of the present summer throughout the course of 
autumn and winter, till May in the following spring. Judd pre- 
pares his ground for transplanting by trenching in 2 spades deep, 
mixing with it in the operation a good dressing of well-reduced 
dung from the old forcing beds. He says, “ I give it a second 
trenching in order that the dung may be better incorporated 
with the mould, and then leave it in as rough a state as possible, 
till my plants are ready to be put out.” In the ground thus 
prepared, he forms trenches 20 inches deep, and 6 feet distant 
from each other, measuring from the centre of each trench. 
Before planting he reduces the depth of the trenches to 3 inches, 
by digging in sufficient dung to fill them so much up. At the 
time of planting, if the weather be dry, the trenches are well 
watered in the morning, and the plants are put in, 6 inches apart 
in a row, in the evening, care being taken by the mode above 
mentioned, to keep the fibres quite wet whilst out of ground ; as 
they are drawn from the nursery-bed, the plants are dressed for 
planting, and then laid regularly in the garden pan. The 
trenches, in which his rows of celery are planted, being so very 
shallow, the roots of the plants grow nearly on a level with the 
surface of the ground: this he considers particularly advanta- 
geous ; for as considerable cavities are necessarily formed on 
each side when the moulding takes place, all injury from stag- 
nant water or excess of moisture is prevented. The trenches 
when planted are watered, as may be required. He prepares 
his ground for celery during the winter, and avoids putting 
much of a crop in the space between the trenches, especially 
one that grows tall, as he finds celery does best when it grows 
as open as possible. Walker makes his trenches at 4 feet dis- 
tance, and 18 inches wide, 12 deep, and filled 9 inches with a 
compound of fresh strong soil, and well-rotted dung; three- 
fourths dung, and one-fourth soil. Old hot-bed dung is the 
best. The plants should be taken up with as much soil as will 
conveniently adhere to the roots, and the side-shoots are removed 
from the stems; they are then set with the hand at 9 or 10 
inches apart, in the centre of each trench; it is necessary to 
water well until they are ready to be earthed, but not after- 
wards, 
Landing or earthing up.—As the plants in trenches rise from 
10 to 15 inches high, Abercrombie begins to land-up for blanch- 
ing, observing “ to trim in the earth gently when first raised to 
the stems, with a hoe or spade, but mostly the latter. When 
UMBELLIFERZ. XXXVII. Apium. 
the plants are of a more advanced growth, earth them up equally 
on both sides each row, 3-4 or 5 inches, according to the 
strength and height of the different crops. Repeat this once a 
week or fortnight, till by degrees they are landed-up from 12 
inches to 2 feet, in order to blanch them of some considerable 
length. Continue thus landing-up the different crops from July 
till February. As the autumnal and main winter crops attain 
full growth, give them a final landing-up near the tops, which 
will increase the length of the blanched part, and also protect 
the later crops more effectually during the winter.” In landing- 
up celery, Judd does “ not think it well to load the plants with 
too much mould at first. The two first mouldings, therefore, 
are done very sparingly, and only with a common draw-hoe, 
forming a ridge on each side of the row, and leaving the plants 
in a hollow, to receive the full benefit of the rain and the water- 
ings. When the plants are strong enough to bear 6 inches high 
of mould, the moulding is done with the spade, taking care to 
leave bases enough to support the masses of mould, which will 
ultimately be used in the ridge, and still keeping for some time 
the plants in a hollow, as before directed. The process of mould- 
ing is continued through the autumn, gradually diminishing the 
breadth of the top, until at last it is drawn to as sharp a ridge 
as possible to stand the winter. In the operation it is necessary, 
in order to prevent the earth from falling into the hearts of the 
plants, to keep the outer leaves as close together as possible ; 
for this purpose, before I begin the moulding I take long bands 
of bass matting, tied together till of sufficient length to answer 
for an entire row, and I fasten this string to the first plant in the 
row, then pass it to the next plant, giving it one twist round the 
leaves, and so on till I reach the other, where it is again fas- 
tened; when the moulding is finished, the string is easily un- 
ravelled, by beginning to untwist it at the end where it was last 
fastened.” Walker, having removed the lateral shoots, the 
leaves of each plant being held together with one hand, the soil 
pulverized, is drawn round with the other, taking care not to 
earth up too high at once, nor too close. The heart should 
always be left quite free. This may be repeated about once a 
fortnight until the plants are ready for use. f 
Late crop.—For late spring celery to stand till the end 0 
May in the returning spring, without running considerably, 1t 1$ 
expedient to make a small late sowing at the commencement 0 
May. The plants when 6 weeks old may be pricked on inter- 
mediate beds, 6 inches by 3 asunder; to remain till September 
or October, then transplant them into moderate trenches as 
they advance in growth, earth them up a little in winter, an 
finally in the spring in February and March. 
Occasional shelter.—On the approach of frost take up a part 
of the crop, and lay it by under dry sand for winter use. +0 
preserve the plants left in the bed, lay some long dry litter over 
the tops, which remove in every interval of mild weather. Itis 
a common complaint, that very fine looking celery is often foun 
to be rotten at the base of the leaf-stalks ; the fact being, that 
when it is full grown, and the blanching completed, it begins ' 
decay, and will not keep good in the ground for more than 3 
month at most. Some, therefore, take up and preserve m dry 
sand, but in that situation it soon becomes tough and dry. 2 
best mode seems to be that of forming successive plantations. 
Taking the crop.—It is best to begin at one end of the row, 
and dig clean down to the roots, which then loosen witb a spade, 
that they may be drawn up entire without breaking the stalks. 
Cultivation of celeriac.—The times of sowing are the same i 
that for other sorts of celery. The plants require a rich m 
manured soil, and according to an account communicated by 
Lord Stanhope to Mr. Sabine, the plants are reared on a pa 
bed under glass, and transplanted when 2 or 3 inches eh 
another hot-bed, and set an inch and a half apart. In the 
