VEGETABLES. 325 
which I twisted into a rope and put alongside of the plants where 
the dirt would not standup. I cannot say that it was any better 
than the dirt. I have also tried boards and tile. IthoughtI had 
found a plan that would be successful of putting the tile over 
each plant, but the hot sun striking down upon the tile created 
a warmth inside that killed the plants. The plan was worth- 
less. J have found also that there does not seem to be venti- 
lation enough, when you use boards, to make good celery. 
Prof. Green: The straw is used a great deal because the 
flavor of the celery is better than when it is banked with soil. 
Mr. Sampson: It is the nature of straw to hold moisture, 
and, consequently, it approaches closer to the soil than hay 
would. 
Dr. Frisselle: Do you transplant your plants from the seed 
bed before putting in the trench? 
Mr. Sampson: I have been obliged to transplant, under the 
circumstances, two or three times before I put them into the 
rows, but it is not always necessary. I first plant the seeds in 
the seed bed, because. of course, it would not pay to use a large 
surface of ground to get the little plants started. 
Mr. Wilcox: Do you think that this straw would help to 
make up for the deficiency, in case you did not have the moist 
ground ? 
Mr. Sampson: I think I could highly recommend the straw. 
Of course, we all know that straw is a non-conductor of heat 
and cold, and that it also holds the moisture that is under it. 
It does not allow the moisture to be absorbed by the rays of 
the sun, so it would certainly be advantageous to the celery to 
have the straw there. I noticed in some celery that I left on 
upland ground where it had got dry, that the celery was more 
apt to be spongy. Of course, we have some spongy celery in 
the marsh land. 
President Underwood: Where a person has not marsh land, 
I suppose you would advise planting celery on the richest and 
lowest land that he has. 
Mr. Sampson: Yes. Celery requires a good deal of nutri- 
ment, which it draws from the ground. It is on the same prin- 
ciple as raising cabbage. You cannot get ground too rich for 
cabbage raising. No doubt you all-know that the richer the 
ground is, the larger and better the cabbage will be. I believe 
that all gardeners agree with me there. Itis the same with 
the celery. I think an analysis of the celery stalk will show 
- that there is much nutriment in it. 
