536 Journal of Agriculture. [10 Sept., 1908. 



during the growing seasan. To secure an early supply, seeds should be 

 sown in August under the same conditions as advised for tomatoes. In 

 October seeds may be sown in beds in the open ground for transplanting 

 later. From tAvo sowings at the periods mentioned several transplantings 

 mav be made. The early plants should be transplanted into boxes or 

 shallow beds of light, fairly rich, sioil as soon as they are about an inch in 

 height allowing a space of four to six inches square to each (plant. They will 

 require to be shaded after transplanting until established, and liberally 

 watered during drv weather. When six inches in height, stout and stocky, 

 the plants must be carefully lifted with a ball, or rather square, of soil 

 attached, and planted in the trenches ox beds prepared for their reception. 

 The common practice, and undoubtedly the best for early planting, is to 

 set celery in trenches where a supply of water is available to give the 

 swamp-like conditions under which the plant is found growing naturally. 

 Trenches are diig to a depth of about a foot, and a liberal dressing of 

 manure is placed at the bottom; some of the surface soil is replaced over 

 the manure, and water sufficient to thoroughly settle the whole is applied. 

 When fairly dried the trenches are fit for the reception of the plants. 

 Trenches that will accommodate two rows of plants, allowing about one 

 foot each way to each plant are found to be the most economical and easih- 

 managed. During the growing season abundance of water is necessary, and 

 the plants must be kept free from weeds. Late crops may be grown without 

 digging deep trenches, but in all other respects similar treatment is neces- 

 sary. 



Celery is blanched by excluding light from the stems of the plants. It 

 should be done about a month before the plants are ready for use. Various 

 means are adopted, the most common teing to draw the earth up to the 

 plants, burying the stems in the process. Tying brown paper around the 

 stems, enveloping them in drain, pipes, or fixing boards close to the plants 

 in the rows, to exclude light, are other methods more or less in use. Which- 

 ever course is adopted the tops and growing centre must be preserved clean 

 and in full sunlight. With a succession of plantings celery may be had 

 in rrood condition for several months. 



INSECT PESTS IX FOREIGN LANDS. 



Seventh Progress Report by Mr. W. W. Froggatt, F.L.S., F.E.S. 



R.M.S. Cliiiia, Red Sea, 23rd May, 1908. 



I have the honour to furnish you with a brief summary of my investi- 

 gations since I posted my last at Constantinople. 



I left that town on the evening of the 30th of April bound to Cyprus, 

 via Smyrna and Beyrout, reaching the former town on the following day, 

 when 1 went ashore and went through the markets where everything under 

 the sun, from old weapons to fruit and vegetables, can be purchased. 

 All the vegetables were of the same kind and quality as those in the 

 Stamboul markets, to which Smyrna sends a large amount of produce. 



At Beyrout the cultivation of the mulberry is the chief industry, and 

 the whole valley of the Dog River, and for some miles beyond the town, 

 is nothing but mulberrv plantations, while there were scores of silk reeling 

 machines and primitive hand looms for weaving in the houses I passed 

 through. A large quantity of fruit and vegetables is grown in the 



