126 ANNUAL REPORT. 
sow in the prepared bed, and cover about one-fourth of an inch deep. It. 
should be kept moderately warm 1 and wet, and partially shaded during hot 
weather. 
Transplanting. 
When the plants are about two inches in height, they should be trans- 
planted two inches apart in equally rich soil, and be kept well sprinkled 
with soft water every evening during bright, sunshiny weather. When 
the plants are from three to four inches high, every other plant each way 
should be taken out to another bed, or may be planted in the field where 
wanted to be grown. Great care should be taken in removing the plants, 
that all the roots be secured with a clump of earth with them. To secure 
this the soil in which the plants are growing should be well saturated with 
soft water before removing the plants at any stage of their growth. 
When it is desired to have the plants remain in the bed until they are six 
or eight inches high, they should be thinned out to about six inches apart 
that all may grow strong and stocky. 
Soil and Preparation. 
The soil in which celery is to be grown should be made very rich and 
loosened deep by double-plowing or subsoiling to the depth of one foot 
or more, and should be plowed twice to thoroughly mix the manure and 
pulverize the soil; then harrow, and if lumpy, roll the land, and get it in 
the best possible condition to be had. 
Planting Out. 
I abandoned the plan of growing celery in trenches years ago, and now 
grow it on the top of the soil with the most excellent success, in the fol- 
lowing manner: When the plants are very large I mark my land out in 
rows six feet apart with a single shovel plow, and when using small plants 
use the line and dibble, setting the plants six inches apart in the row. 
June and July are the months for planting out celery, when good strong 
plants are to be had. The latter part of July is the best for winter celery. 
Always select a cloudy day for planting out celery and remove all side 
sprouts or succors, and press the earth well around the roots. 
Cultivation. 
Hoe the plants as soon as possible after setting, to keep the ground from 
getting hard and crusted. Continue to cultivate it as often as every ten 
days. When the plants are one foot or more in height, the land being well 
cultivated between the rows, take a line and loop it around the first plant 
in the row you wish to hill, and continue to loop the line around each 
* plant to the end of the line. This is to keev the tops or stalks close to- 
gether that no earth can get in the center. Great care should be taken 
never to get any earth into the heart or center of the plant. In earthing 
up, do not get above the heart until the last earthing to bleach and pro- 
tect it from frosts. This should be well done by the first of October 
