1879.] THE AMATEUR'S GARDEN. 229 



that greater quantities can be grown in small space ; but it often happens that 

 there is room for a trench in small gardens when there is not for a bed; 

 and when the sides are utilised for growing small Salads, not an inch of 

 ground is wasted. 



Preparing the Plants. — The best way of raising Celery plants is by means of 

 a slight hot-bed; and should the amateur possess one for striking cuttings 

 and raising half-hardy annuals in March and April, space may be spared for 

 holding a small seed-pan, for a very small space will raise a large number of 

 plants while they are in the seedling state. For soil use one half well-decayed 

 manure, and the other half light loam. Drain well the seed pan or pot in 

 which they are to be sown ; use the surface soil in a fine state ; sow thinly, 

 and cover very lightly. A piece of brown paper over the pot, &c, will prevent 

 evaporation, but this must be removed the moment the seedlings appear. 

 Keep the pots near the glass, and where they will get fresh air, in order to 

 make them as sturdy as possible. Never allow them to suffer for want of 

 water ; and indeed take care that they receive no check, or they may become 

 stunted and useless. When they are in the rough leaf, they must be " pricked 

 out " or transplanted into boxes at from 3 to 4 inches apart, using rich soil, 

 such as we have recommended for sowing. Use the soil in a moist but 

 not wet state ; and after they are pricked out, give a gentle watering through 

 a fine rose. Put them back in the frame, and shade slightly for a few days, 

 should the weather be bright and hot. When quantities are grown, the usual 

 and best practice is to put down 3 or 4 inches of well-decayed manure on a hard 

 bottom, covering it with 2 inches of light soil, and to prick out the plants on 

 this, and, if possible, covering them with glass lights until they are strong 

 enough for the trenches or beds. When this takes place, the plants move with 

 nice balls of the rotten manure, and receive but a very slight check, scarcely 

 a root being sacrificed. But in most cases those for whom we write do not 

 require such quantities as would necessitate the use of a whole light. More- 

 over, the plants come out of ordinary cutting-boxes almost as safely as from 

 a bed or frame. Those who have nothing beyond a greenhouse or a cold frame 

 can raise the plants in these, or even under a common hand-glass in a sunny 

 sheltered place out of doors ; but plants raised by these means will be later, 

 and the produce scarcely so good, although with good management in favoured 

 localities very fine Celery is raised without the aid of glass at all. 



Planting out. — In planting out choose a dull, showery time, if possible; 

 otherwise do it in the evening, and shade during the day until the plants have 

 fairly started, always watering liberal^. Lift and plant the plants with a 

 trowel, and if planted two rows in a trench, place them thus .•.*.*.• 

 a foot apart. In watering them during summer, give occasional doses of 

 manure-water, made with guano, at about the rate of half an ounce to the 

 gallon of water, or stable-drainings diluted with five times its bulk of water, 

 or well-diluted sewage, &c. ; this will aid its progress greatly. 



Earthing up or Blanching. — This requires to be done early in autumn, four 

 or five weeks before the Celery is wanted for use ; but later in autumn more time 

 is required for blanching. Gardeners who have to make the supply stretch over 

 as great a length of time as possible, raise their first batch early in February, 

 and nurse it on in heat in pots or boxes, and by this means have strong plants 

 put out in May ; this is ready for blanching by the end of July, and fit for 

 the table by the end of August. Successional sowings are made and treated 

 in the same way, until the main supply is ready. Amateurs generally grow 

 one lot only, and this is raised from plants sown from the middle of March to 



