Cultivation of Celery. 81 



as those of a neighbor who had taken great care of his plfnts. 

 This subject of fitness of things is one of the greatest, most im- 

 portant and interestino; that we have to consider. On it depends 

 success in every undertaking in life. 



Mr. Randall did not think the success of some persons in raising 

 plants and flowers was at all due to luck or chance, but was the 

 result of their doing just the right thing in the right way and at 

 the proper time. Their love for flowers led them to study their 

 wants and made them quick to perceive what they needed and 

 the effect of the care bestowed. 



Cultivation of Celery. — Mr. Finney enquired as to the 

 best way to grow celery. President Smith said the old method 

 of cultivating it in trenches was very laborious and prevented 

 many from raising it. This cultivation in trenches is generally dis- 

 carded now and it can be raised with nearly the same ease as any 

 garden vegetable. It might perhaps be better for the farmer who 

 tries to raise it to buy his plants at first, in order to be sure and 

 have vigorous plants. They need a rich and deep soil, but the 

 manure used should be fine and well rotted. He sets the rows 

 three feet and a half apart and the plants thick in the row, from 

 six to eight inches if the variety is large, but nearer if a dwarf. 

 The setting may be done the last of June and through the month 

 of July. When the plants are eight or twelve, inches high (twelve 

 if the variety is large), gather the leaves together and draw the 

 earth up around the stalks, and bank them up so as to hold the 

 stalks clogely together. This will make the stalk white and 

 crispy. The banking up should be done when the plant and 

 earth are dry, and care should be taken to hold the leaves together 

 so as to prevent the dirt fr m getting into the heart of the plant, 

 as this would cause it to become discolored. Let them grow in 

 this way until the latter part of September or up to the middle 

 of October, then bank up nearly to the top, but be careful to 

 keep the dirt from getting between the stalks. If needed for early 

 ' use this banking up may be done earlier. A moderate freezing 

 will not injure it. The greater part of the stalks will not be suf- 

 ficiently bleached in this way to make it of the best quality. His 



6 — HORT. 



