SALAD CROPS 47 



so they were helpful in extending the season and making 

 the plant more popular. Many other sorts are now 

 known. 



Celery requires good care and a deep, moist, soil rich 

 in decaying vegetable matter. The seeds are sown 

 early in hot-beds or cold frames and the seedlings thinned 

 to an inch apart and later transplanted, at least once 

 before the final transplanting to the garden or field. 

 At the first transplanting the tap-root should "be pinched 

 off to induce a strong development of other roots. In 

 the garden the transplants are set six inches or more 

 apart in the row, according to the variety. 



Good tillage is given until the plants reach full size 

 or nearly so. Then stalks are to be blanched by some 

 method that will exclude the light. This used to be 

 accomplished by setting the plants in trenches and 

 filling the trenches with soil. This is still a good method 

 for home gardens where the soil is deep enough. A 

 common way is to set the plants in rows four feet apart 

 and gradually hill up the sides with earth. Instead of 

 this, boards are often used, set vertically along each 

 side of the rows, or the plants are set in solid beds and 

 boards placed along the outer borders. 



Celery is commonly attacked by Leaf-spot or Early 

 BHght. This is a destructive fungous disease that some- 

 times causes the loss of more than half the crop. It 

 first shows as small, irregular, yellowish green spots 

 upon the leaves. These enlarge and become brown and 

 soon spread over most of the leaf. Spraying every two 

 weeks with Bordeaux mixture is a preventive. 



