214 ON THE CULTIVATION OF CELERY. 



I raise the plants from successive sowings, made respectively 

 in the first and last weeks of February, the second week in March, 

 and finally in the first week in April ; tlie two first crops are 

 raised in well drained 14-inch pots, placed near tlie glass in a 

 hot bed, or other warm situation. When the plants are suffi- 

 ciently large they are pricked out on a somewhat spent hotbed 

 under glass, and well inured to the weather before being planted 

 out in the trenches ; the two last crops are sown on a slightly 

 warm bed under glass, and some are also sown in the open ground 

 at the latter period ; when the plants from these sowings are 

 suflficiently advanced, they are either pricked into beds of rich 

 mould or are at once transplanted into their permanent situations, 

 provided the early crops have been cleared from the trenches 

 previously prepared for their growth. 



The earthing up or blanching process is usually effected by 

 three different operations : the first takes place when the plants 

 have grown 9 or 10 inclies in height; the small leaves imme- 

 diately above the roots and all embryo suckers are very carefully 

 removed. After that the bed is completely saturated with rich 

 liquid manure, but subsequently to this period I do not consider it 

 requisite that any artificial watering should take place ; the beds 

 are tlien covered with about four inciies of mould from the 

 ridges, which helps to keep the plants in an erect position, and 

 acts like a mulching on the roots, thereby preventing in some 

 measure the evaporation of moisture from the bed. Some three 

 weeks before the early crop is required for use the second 

 earthing takes place, and is performed in the following manner by 

 two operators : two boards some eight or nine inches in depth, 

 and equal in length to the width of tlie bed, are placed edgeways 

 between the rows, each board resting against the plants in 

 either row, so as to form at once space for the reception of the 

 mould and a protection to the leaves whilst the operation of 

 earthing is being performed. When the required quantity 

 of soil has been deposited the boards are carefully withdrawn 

 and placed between the next two rows, and so the work proceeds 

 until all has been completed. When the soil is of a very wet, 

 tenacious, or repugnant character, dry ashes, fine mould, or 

 other material can readily be introduced next the plants, for 

 which purpose double boards properly adjusted and fixed to each 

 other form a ready medium by which to introduce the material, 

 thus : — 



