CHAP. XVIII VILLA GARDENING 469 



all winter buried in the earth in the chrysalis state, and in spring 

 all that survive are transformed into flies, which in simimer lay 

 their eggs on the foliage of the Celery plant. In com-se of time 

 these become small l.irown maggots, which lie within the mem- 

 l)ranes of the leaves, producing a most disagreeable burnt-up 

 apijearance, and effectually checking the growth of the plant. The 

 best remedy is to try to stamp it out by picking off the affected 

 parts and biu-uing them. In districts where the fly has been 

 troublesome in previous years, syringing the plants about the com- 

 mencement, or, rather, perhaps just before the eggs are deposited, 

 with something distasteful to insects, has been found beneficial. 

 Gishurst compound and Tobacco liquor are good. Soft soap is also 

 beneficial, and the slops from the house may be diluted and applied 

 over the foliage with a rosed pot ; but several applications of all 

 these remedies or preventives ■\\dll be necessary. Slugs in damp 

 soils are troublesome, and must be met with snot and lime, or 

 ashes, in earthing-up. Canker arises from a damp unsuitable soil, 

 and the remedy for such a state of things is well known. Hollow 

 stalks may arise from more than one cause. I believe " breed " 

 has something to do with it. Get a good strain of a good kind, 

 and be carefid about saving seeds, though the way in which the 

 plants have been grown from the first has much influeuce upon this 

 matter. In short it is partly a question of breed and kind — 

 imrtly a question of culture, and the greatest prominence shoidd, 

 of course, be given to the last item, as that is, in a measm-e, in our 

 own hands. The quality of the manure is important — more so 

 than is often thought. It shoidd not be rank or too forcing, and 

 the soil should be kept steadily and fiiirly moist. 



The Turnip-rooted Celery. — For cooking this is excellent. 

 The seeds are sown in spring ; the plants, when small, are treated 

 like the common Celery, and when large enough transplanted into 

 shallow trenches which have been manured as for ordinary Celery, 

 though they need not be so deep or wide, and of course the rows 

 need not be so far ajiart — 2h to 3 feet will be ample. The 

 plants do not make so many leaves as the ordinary Celery, neither 

 are they so long, for their strength seems arrested by the Turnip- 

 shaped sohd mass situated just above the roots, which is the edible 

 portion, though in times of scarcity the leaves may be available for 

 flavouring soups, etc. When full grown, the plants should be 

 earthed-up in the usual way. The earthing-up is, perhaps, a 

 matter of taste. Some cooks think it adds to the delicacy of 

 flavour. 



The Leek. — When well grown the Leek is a very valuable 

 vegetable. In the North, where it receives more attention, it is in 



