The Kitchen Gakden. 97 



to be filled up in the process of future cultivation. "Water 

 once or twice, if the weather be dry. When about two inches 

 high, thin out the plants to ten inches apart ; and when nearly 

 full grown, the leaves may be gathered up in a close, rounded 

 form, and tied with a shred of matting or other soft string, 

 drawing up a little earth to the stems at the same time. 

 Choose a dry day for this operation, and tie up only a few 

 plants at a time, or in proportion as they may be wanted for 

 use. They may also be blanched by covering them with pots 

 or boxes. It will take about ten days in warm weather, and 

 about twenty in cold weather, for the leaves to blanch for use. 

 For late crops, sow about the end of July. To have endive 

 in perfection during the winter, it must be moved into frames 

 or walled pits about the first of November, taking up consider- 

 able earth with the roots. Give ah* and light in mild weather, 

 but protect fi'om heavy rains and severe frosts. 



5. Celery — Apium Graveolens. 



Celery is a native of Great Britain, and in its wild state is a 

 coarse, rank weed. Cultivation has made it one of the pleas- 

 antest-flavored erf all salad plants. There are several varieties. 

 The Eed Solid is the hardiest, and is therefore generally pre- 

 ferred in the colder portions of our country ; but the White 

 Sohd is crisper and more delicately flavored. Cole's Superb 

 Red and Seymour's White correspond with the Red Solid and 

 the White Solid, and are the kinds to be preferred. 



The soil best suited to the celery plant is a moist, rich vege- 

 table mold, to which salt, ashes, and lime may be advantage- 

 ously added, as special manures. The animal manures used 

 must be thoroughly decomposed. The cultivation of celery 

 embraces three distinct operations : 



1. Forwarding the Plants. — Sow^ in a hot-bed from the first 

 to the middle of March, or in a warm border in the open 

 ground, at several different times, from the first of April to the 

 tenth of May. The seed-beds should be of hght and finely- 

 pulverized soil. Rake iu the seeds lightly and regularly, and 



5 



