PROCEEDINGS OF THE WINTER MEETING. 59 



Thorough cultivation is implied where celery has been raised upon any 

 given tract the previous year. 



In planting out, well-manured, broad, shallow trenches about seven 

 inches deep, parallel to each other and five feet apart — in some instances 

 these trenches are only three and one half and four feet apart — are usually 

 prepared ; and the young plants are set in the trench at intervals of six 

 inches, the outer leaves cut off, and the soil pressed closely around the 

 roots. 



Early plants are set in May, as weather permits; second crop in June; 

 and third and last planting, for winter use, last of August and first of 

 September. 



Onions, peas, and potatoes are extensively planted between the trenches 

 of the first croj), to be harvested before the celery needs hilling. 



In about six weeks from setting out, the plants may be " handled," one 

 man gathering the leaves together tightly, while another draws the earth 

 from between the rows about the plants one third their height. The pro- 

 cess is repeated in dry weather every few days unti] ready for use. Care 

 must be taken that dirt does not fall between the leaves in hilling as rot 

 may ensue. 



The hilling of the first crop excavates a trench, along which the second 

 " planting out " is set before the first is harvested. 



The first crop is usually ready for market by the 10th of July, and all 

 gathered by the 1st of August. The soil is then taken from the first row 

 for hilling the second crop. If the season is favorable, a third crop is 

 planted out the first of September upon the first line of trench. 



BLANCHING AND MARKETING. 



Blanching in the field is done either by hilling up the plants with earth, 

 as previously described, or by boards placed each side of the growing 

 plants, and held together by iron hooks or clamps. Where boards are 

 used there is less liability to rust, but the celery is said not to be equal in 

 quality to that which is hilled with earth. 



At maturity the celery is dug, trimmed, washed in sluices running 

 through the fields, securely tied in bundles of twelve heads, boys and 

 girls being usually employed in this work, and delivered promptly at the 

 shipping agencies, fresh from the field every day, just prior to departure 

 of express trains. 



At the agencies the celery is immediately packed in thin wooden boxes 

 of uniform size, ten bundles of twelve heads each, duly branded " Kala- 

 mazoo celery," and sent at once to the express trains. 



In the height of the season 40 tons have sometimes been shipped from 

 Kalamazoo of celery thus packed in one day. 



It is important that celery reaches its destination in as fresh and crisp 

 a state as possible. The utmost celerity is therefore requisite, from the 

 moment the plants are lifted in the field, to hasten them to market in an 

 attractive form and good condition. There are nearly thirty business 

 firms engaged in the shipment of celery from Kalamazoo. These agencies 

 buy the celery outright at a certain price per dozen heads, and it is then 

 sold in quantities to fill orders or consigned for sale to commission dealers. 



