A P I 



A P I 



year, a fresh supply must be annually raised. 

 T!ie sowing, if a regular succession of plants 

 be required for eight or nine niontlis in the 

 year, should be at two or three diflerent times in 

 the above months. Tiius, if it be intended to 

 have Celerv for use as early as possible in the 

 summer, as in July, some seed must be sown 

 the first week in March on a warm border, or, to 

 bring the plants more forward, in a slender hot- 

 bed, or if it be necessary to have it still more 

 ■earlv, the middle of February ; but as the plants 

 of these very early sowings are apt to pipe or 

 run for seed the same year before they attnin 

 their perfection, a few only need be raised. But 

 for the principal crops, to come in for autumn or 

 winter, as in August or September, and con- 

 tinue in perfection till Christmas or spring, the 

 seed may be put in about the middle or towards 

 the latter end of March, or in the first or se- 

 cond week in April, in a bed of natural earth 

 in an open exposure; and a little more iii the 

 latter end of the latter month, or m the first or 

 second week in May, to furnish a still later crop 

 to come in the beginning of November, and 

 continue good till the March or April following ; 

 and to have a late crop principally for the spring, 

 it is necessary that a small portion be sown at 

 the latter end of May ; and by putting out some 

 of the plants in shallow trenches in September, 

 October and November, they may be fit for use 

 in March and April, and continue without run- 

 ning till the middle or latter end of the May fol- 

 lowing. As it has been suggested, that the early 

 crop may either be raised upon a warm border 

 of natural earth, or upon a slight hot-bed, it 

 may be observed, that by the latter practice the 

 plants may be so forwarded, as to be fit to 

 transplant into trenches sooner by three weeks or 

 a month than those raised in the natural 

 ground ; a small bed of about eighteen or tu enty 

 inches in depth of dung being sufficient, which 

 may be sheltered either bv a small frame, or oc- 

 casionally by mats supported on bent sticks : 

 upon this five or six inches of rich light earth 

 should be laid, the seed being then sown on the 

 surface, and lightly covered in. When the plants 

 appear, the full air must be freely admitted in 

 mild days, but sheltered with glasses or mats in 

 the nights until they acquire some strength, 

 light waterings being occasionally given. 

 When the plants of either of the sowings are 

 two inches high, some of the stoutest should be 

 pricked out into a bed of rich earth, in a shel- 

 tered situation, three inches apart ; or to bring 

 them still more forward, upon a slender hot- 

 bed, and occasionally sheltered by mats, giving 

 them water, and occasionally sliading them till 

 tliey have struck root 3 and if rain do not soon 



fall, refreshing them as frequently as may be 

 necessary' with water. 



As the plants thus first pricked out will in 

 May or the beginning of June be generally five 

 or six inches in height, some of the strongest 

 of them should be transplanted into trenches, in 

 order to their being blanched. 



In sowing the main and later crops, make 

 choice of a spot of rich light earth, in an open 

 situation, and let it be neatly dug and divided 

 into one or more beds ; but one bed is generally 

 sufiicicnt for private use, which should be three 

 feet and a half wide, the surface being made 

 level and smooth. The seed may then cither be 

 sown on the surface, and raked in lightly, or 

 the surface first raked fine, and the seed then 

 sown, earth being lightly sifted over it; or the 

 bed, after being first raked smooth, may have 

 the earth shoved with the back of a rake from off 

 the surface into the alley ; the seed then sown, 

 and with the rake turned the right way, the 

 earth drawn upon the bed again with a kind of 

 jirk, so that it may spread and cover it equally. 

 When the plants of these sowings are come up, 

 they should be frequently watered in dry wea- 

 ther, especially while they arc young ; and when 

 about three or four inches high, the seed-bed 

 be thinned by pricking out a quantity of the 

 strongest into an open rich spot, properly dug 

 and divided into beds three feet and a half wide, 

 taking an opportunity, if possible, of moist wea- 

 ther for the business, and in rows six inches 

 asunder, and three or four inches distant in each 

 row, water being given ; and, if dry weather 

 succeeds, occasionallv repeated till they strike 

 fresh root. In this bed they should remain a 

 month, or five or six weeks, to acquire due 

 strength previous to their being transplanted into 

 the trenches for blanching. The same seed-bed 

 may frequently aflbrd three, four, or more differ- 

 ent drawings to prick out in this way, by observ- 

 ing to only prick out the largest plants regularly 

 each time, before they draw each other up 

 weak by close standing : by thus pricking them 

 in beds till the ground intended for the trenches 

 is ready, they will be advancing in their growth, 

 and be considerably better prepared for setting 

 out, than such as have remained constantly in 

 the seed-bed. 



The next operation is that of transplanting 

 them into the trenches for the purpose of 

 blanching ; the season for which is occasionally 

 from the middle of May till the latter end of 

 October, or even the middle of November, ac- 

 cording to the forwardness of the plants, the 

 time they are required for use, and the period it 

 is intended they should continue. When the 

 plants are from six to tight, ten^ or twelve inches 



