212 BuivLETiN 132. 



earth and manure, as represented in Fig. 56 ; but a brief discus- 

 sion of specific styles of root houses will be considered later. 



At Irondequoit, near Rochester, there are located some of the 

 largest celery gardens of the state. At this place I found the 

 condition of the celery a great improvement over that at South 

 Lima. Nevertheless, considerable loss had resulted, and I was 

 confirmed in the belief that the late blight was generally quite 

 prevalent in the field during the past season. Here the disease 

 had extended to the storage house product to an injurious extent, 

 but there was evidently some important factor to account for its 

 lessened effect. At Irondequoit there is a well drained gravelly- 

 soil, with clay subsoil, and it was noticeable that in the root- 

 houses of this region there was much less moisture than in those 

 of South Lima. It was this difference, in fact, which readily 

 suggested that care should be taken with regard to the location of 

 coops, especiall}^ for the contingency of unfavorable seasons. 



Why the South Lima root houses contain more moisture, and 

 hence were more severely visited, it is necessary to consider the 

 surroundings. It is only within the past few years that celery 

 has been grown to any extent in this region. Previous to this 

 time there were about six hundred or more acres of bog land 

 north and south of the Erie Railroad, which could have been 

 purchased for almost nothing. Drainage of this area was since 

 authorized, and it is this drained bog land which is now so valu- 

 able for the growth of celery. It is a true peaty soil, which burns 

 very readily. This deposit is said to vary to about twenty feet 

 or more in depth, and it is underlaid by a slight gravelly deposit, 

 and then an impervious clay. Surrounded by high land on nearly 

 all sides, this bog land lies as a natural basin in a glaciated 

 region. Water seems to drain freely into this gravelly substratum 

 and it is prevented from sinking further on account of the imper- 

 vious clay. The peaty stratum above absorbs the water freely, 

 and on account of its great capillary action it is capable of con- 

 stantly pumping up the water from below, thus furnishing a soil 

 in which celery grows luxuriantly. On account of this moisture, 

 however, extra attention should be given to the disease question. 

 With root houses located immediately upon such bog land, or 

 upon slightly higher ground of approximately the same texture. 



