336 



STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



long are selected, although at times, boards ten inches wide are used to 

 blanch the earliest crop when the plants are not large. If small cleats 

 are nailed across the ends and middles of the boards, it will tend to 

 prevent splitting and warping. 



In placing the boards for blanching, they are first laid flat along both 

 sides of the row as seen in Figure 9 ; then two men working together at 

 each end of the board, raise the edge nearest the plants, catching up the 

 outside leaves, until the board is brought into a vertical position along 

 the row; then, holding it in place with one hand, the board on the 

 opposite side of the row is likewise brought into position, leaving as 

 little space between the boards as the thickness of the plants require. 



Fig. 10. — Raising the boards for blanching. 



(Fig. 10). Double hooks about six or eight inches long, made of heavj 

 galvanized wire are then used to hold the upper edges of the boards 

 together. Sometimes short pieces of laths are nailed across the tops to 

 hold them in position but this method is not convenient for the extensive 

 grower. After the boards are in position, a little soil should be thrown 

 along the lower edge of the boards to close anv openings that may 

 be caused by the unevenncss of the surface of the soil. 



From two to three weeks will be required for blanching the summer 

 crops, depending much upon the rate of growth and weather condi- 

 tions. As soon as the crop is properly blanched, it should be harvested 

 because when left too long, it loses in weight and flavor. 



After the day's harvesting and packing is finished, the boards are 

 carried to another patch of celery and used to blanch another crop. 

 Tn this way, they are used several times in a single season. 



