198 American. Horticulturai Society. 



cious, what roots — a long oap root just loaded with side roots. Truly, there are 

 three of roots to one of top. Ha! this fellow jnust be a gross feeder. I will 

 lay it in some mud and deepen and enrich my soil more. Four quarts of line 

 bone dust, also stirred into the soil will certainly be a benefit. Now we will 

 again begin to dig plants. I fill my box and transplant, being careful to leave 

 them the same depth they stood before, and six or seven inches apart in the 

 row, and return again and again until the plants are all " moved." Now we 

 will get the conditions like unto nature quickly. We pack a little straw each 

 side of the row — one hundred and fifty feet- and give them a thorough 

 drenching. If weather is not cloudy and moist we lay some slats across the 

 row, upon which we lay a row, six inches wide, of boards, slabs, anything that 

 will keep the burning sun off the plants from 10 A. m. till 3 p. m. We will re- 

 move this as soon as the plants have made a good start to grow — usually 

 when the midsummer rains, which almost invariably come the last of July 

 and keeps showery for a week or ten days. 



And now do you know the battle is nearly won. If we have transplanted 

 where the supply of moisture can be continually kept up, we may expect 

 such great hearted, heavy bunches, with stout, crisp and tender stalks as are 

 seldom seen off the exhibition table. We must keep the ground well tilled 

 until the first of September, or until the plants have grown quite strongly, 

 when we give those we wish for early use the first handling. This is done 

 by making the soil mellow each side, and then with a hoe in the right hand, 

 grasp the plant with the left, holding the stalks closely together, pull the 

 earth up around the plant six to eight inches. This should be done late 

 enough in the day so that the plant is free from dew, to prevent rusting. 

 For winter use we defer handling until October 1st. As the season advances 

 keep on hilling up until the middle of November, when nothing but the 

 green tips are visible. In this condition celery will stand a heavy frost with- 

 out damage; but as low temperatures may now be expected at any time, 

 which might cause ruin, it is best to remove to winter quarters, and the fol- 

 lowing method I have found to be as convenient as any for family purposes : 

 I dig a trench ten or twelve inches in width, the depth to be the height of 

 my plants, less six inches, and make the sides perpendicular. In this I pack 

 my celery closely and in an upright position, being careful to leave a lump 

 of earth the size of a cocoanut adhering to each root. I stake a six-inch 

 board each side, and earth up even to top of board. At first I cover lightly 

 with burlaps or old carpet, as there may be slight danger of heating the first 

 ten days. As the cold increases, I add to the covering until I have it frost- 

 proof. It is very sensitive to frost after it has become blanched. A trench 

 twenty feet in length will hold two hundred large plants. No extra earth 

 should be packed with the celery, as the lump adhering to the root and be- 

 ing packed closely in the trench, there is always sufficient moisture present. 



This year I blanched my early celery by tying it up with stiff brown pa- 

 per. This T find to be an improvement upon earthing up, as it is less trou- 

 ble, prevents rust, and one can water better if drought prevails. 



