CELERY GROWING 



THE fleshy leaf stock of the celery plant 

 is much prized as a table delicacy. 

 It is not before this edible part of the plant 

 has been thoroughly bleached, however, 

 that it is in fit condition for the table. Ow- 

 ing to its increasing popularity it is gradu- 

 ally becoming more widely cultivated, but 

 even yet there are countless gardens wnere 

 a supply of this crop is unknown. 



Although a lover of soil rich in nitrogen- 

 ous matter, it can be grown with fair svic- 

 cess on most soils if sufficient manure is 

 added and frequent watering given during 

 the summer. A retentive well-drained 

 rich black loam seems to suit it best. Too 

 much moisture is just as harmful as too 

 little. 



By starting the seed in the house or m 

 hot beds and growing both early and late 

 varieties, this wholesome vegetable may be 

 kept on hand from July until well on into 

 the winter months. Large growers with 

 special storage cellars always have a good 

 supply in late winter. 



" The best varieties," said Mr. J. E. T.-r- 

 rill, of Picton, to The Horticulturist re- 

 cently, " are Paris Golden for early and 

 Evans' Triumph for late crop. I am grow- 

 ing those varieties exclusively this season. 

 A low black well watered soil suits the 

 celery crop best. I set the plants out in 

 trenches. A plow is used to make a trench 

 five or six inches deep. In this a imv 

 inches of well-rotted manure is put and oirt 

 is put on top. The whole is well tramped 

 and the plants set in this. 



" I always bleach the early varieties v.ith 

 boards about lo inches wide. ^^'ith the 

 Evans' Triumph some dirt is piled along to 

 give the head shape, but as a rule bleaching 

 early varieties by banking with earth re- 

 sults in rust, and that spoils the sale. 



"Late celery is planted in trenches iiur 

 feet apart. As the plants grow the bank- 

 ing up is done by a celery-hiller, and I find 

 it does the work well. A man goes along 



to pack the dirt tightly against the plants. 

 This makes just as good a job as by using 

 the hoe, and twice as much can be done m 

 the same time. The Evans' Triumph is a 

 good keeper and will bleach in the cellar by 

 about February i. 



" The crop is put into a large frost-proof 

 storehouse lOO x 30 feet. For winter use 

 it is well to leave the crop in the field as late 

 as possible until the temperature of the cel- 

 lar is lowered. The best temperature is 

 about three or four degrees above freezing. 

 There is a driveway up the middle and the 

 plants are set in sand. They are packed 

 closely, only the roots being covered. No 

 water is added, and we never lose any be- 

 cause of wilting." 



ANOTHER grower's METHODS. 



"For summer celery," said Mr. Wm. Wal- 

 ler, of Bartonville, "I grow the Paris Golden 

 because there is a better demand for it on 

 the local market. It is tender and easily 

 bleached. I grow between 30,000 and 

 40,000 per season. Planting is done m 

 trenches three feet apart, and the plants 'are 

 put six inches apart in the row. Too much 

 time and labor are required to dig manure 

 into the trenches. As fine a crop can be 

 secured by adding plenty of manure and 

 plowing it in well in the spring shortly be- 

 fore planting. This supplies sufficient 

 nourishment. 



" Bleaching is best done by means of 

 boards. They should be used when the 

 plants are about one foot high. 



"For winter use the plants are store.! in 

 a cellar with a sand floor. If they are to 

 be kept for a long time it is best not to pack 

 too closely, and they should be repacked 

 once every three or four weeks and all 

 leaves which show signs of rot or rust re- 

 moved. Water should not be added. 

 Plenty of ventilation is desirable, but frost 

 should be prevented. Celery will stand 

 slight frost when growing in the field, but 

 not when in the cellar." 



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