404 MISSOURI STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



earth to work in, then take the plant in left hand and press the earth 

 close and firm around the plant with the right hand, forcing the leaves 

 into an upright position ; this is called handling ; as soon as this is done, 

 plow again with turning plow and bank the earth up near the top of 

 plants and repeat this as often as needed. We usually bank it three 

 or four times by the 15th of October, after which time it will be very f 

 unsafe to leave it out unless banked up extra well near the top. Some 

 years ago we lost a nice lot on the 16th and 17th of October by freez- 

 ing ; the ground was dry and banking could not be kept properly in 

 place, plants opened at the heart and froze, injuring the blanched 

 celery in heart so as to cause it to rot. Last fall we left some out till 

 the middle of November, but it improved but very little during the last 

 two weeks. 



Celery that is not wanted for use until January and later should be 

 handled and banked once to keep in upright position, and may be 

 planted in rows four feet wide, and the blanching can be done in the 

 trench. Before commencing to take up celery to store for winter, 

 trenches should be dug near your work-shop ; they ought to be one 

 foot wide and as deep as celery is tall, then throw dirt from celery row 

 with plow and then cut under the plants with a sharp spade, pull the 

 plants up carefully, shake off most of the soil and store in trench in 

 perfect upright position and as close as you can press it; if it wilts 

 much pour water in along the side of trench so it will wet the roots and 

 not the heart of plants, which might cause rot ; take plank one foot 

 wide and nail together trough fashion and cover the trench, put in a 

 six-inch wooden pipe ventilator every forty feet, cover deep enough 

 with dirt to keep from freezing, leave the ventilator open except in 

 cold to very cold weather, then stop them with hay or straw. 



To store celery for family use, put two inches of moist earth or 

 sawdust in the bottom of a boot box, place the celery in with roots on 

 the earth in upright position and set in cellar ; if it wilts pour water in 

 so it will run among the roots. 



Celery grown on upland will be more solid and keep longer than 

 that grown on muck or low, wet land. I know of no good reason why 

 Holt county, Missouri, should not become famous for celery-growing. 

 I have never had a failure and grew two crops in 1886 and 1887, both 

 years noted for severity of drouth and heat, that sold in the market 

 alongside of that from the world-renowned celery gardens of Kalama- 

 zoo, at as high prices, and gave as good satisfaction. Celery is one of 

 the most healthy and life-giving vegetables that God has given to man, 

 and should be on every man's table in its season. 



