328 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



of salt are apiilied annual ly jier acre. A part of this amount is broad- 

 casted over the laud in the spring after plowing and harrowed lightly 

 into the soil a week or so before setting the first crop of plants. After 

 this crop is harvested in early July, more salt is apjjlied between the 

 rows of the second crop which already are well established in the field 

 at this time. If a third crop is grown on the field, more salt is some- 

 times applied, but generally, two good applications are considered suffi- 

 cient for a season. It is claimed by the Kalamazoo growers that the 

 salting makes the plants brittle, tender and of better quality. 



At Muskegon, the practice of salting does not seem to be as common, 

 although a few growers apply a small amount before planting in the 

 spring. Its value upon the celery plants seems to be rather indefinite 

 in the minds of most of these growers. In the other celery districts 

 of the stntp, salt is not used. 



SEEDING. 



It is of vital importance in growing celery to be certain of obtaining 

 first-class seed. Many of the failures are directly caused by poor seed 

 which either fails to germinate or produces plants lacking in vitality 

 and uniformity and very subject to diseases. Good seed must not only 

 be true to name and germinate a large percentage of seed, but the seed- 

 lings produced should be strong and vigorous, giving the plants a good 

 start. Most of the best seed of the self-blanching varieties is grown 

 abroad and known in the markets as imported French seed, while 

 California produces excellent seed of the green varieties. Celery seed 

 therefore, should be purchased only from the most reliable seed dealers. 



Celery seed loses its vitality, under ordinary conditions, very quickly, 

 and hence fresh seed should be procured each year. Some growers, 

 however, are successful in retaining it for a season when they secure 

 seed of excellent quality. Although this is not to be recommended as a 

 practice, there are times when it is often advisable to do so. To store 

 seed successfully, it should be kept in a sealed Mason jar and placed 

 where the temperature is moderate and uniform. 



For an early crop of celery, the seed is sown about the last week 

 in February or the first week of ]\Iarch. It is the aim to sow early 

 enough to have plants of proper size ready to plant in the fields as 

 soon as the weather conditions of the spring permit. If the seed is 

 sown too early, the growth will be checked in the seed bed and the 

 plants, when set in the field, will he stunted and liable to run to seed. 

 In most of the celery sections of this state, greenhouses are erected 

 for starting the crop. At Kalamazoo (Fig. 4), a small greenhouse 

 covered with removable sash and heated by a small stove is generally 

 used, while at Muskegon, a larger and more up-to-date greenhouse is 

 built with a permanent glass roof and heated by one or more stoves. 

 These are j)ractical, cheap structures and economical, where celery is 

 the only crop grown in the greenhouse. Hot beds may sometimes be 

 used where the greenhouse is not available, but the conditions of 

 moisture and temperature cannot be controlled as uniformly, and in 

 many other ways, it will be found less satisfactory for starting the 

 earliest crop. 



The soil of the seed bed should consist of a rich garden soil that con- 



