MISCELLANEOUS VEGETABLES 363 



Bailey, more than 25 years ago, found the Kalamazoo to 

 be one of the best varieties for culture under glass, and it 

 is still recommended by practical growers. A few gar- 

 deners speak enthusiastically of White Plume, but 

 Thorne found that it had a marked tendency to "bolt" or 

 produce seed stalks. He also found that Golden Self- 

 Blanching was a slow grower and subject to heart rot. 

 Of the varieties tested by Thorne, Snow White gave the 

 best results. A prominent greenhouse grower at New 

 Castle, Pa., has had the best success with green varieties. 

 Though they are more difficult to blanch, the product is 

 of much higher quality than that of self-blanching 

 varieties. 



The small plants grow very slowly. Seed sown De- 

 cember 1 will produce plants large enough for the first 

 transplanting by January 1, when they should be set 

 about 3 inches apart in flats or beds. In five or six 

 weeks from transplanting they will be ready for the 

 permanent beds, which should be on the ground rather 

 than on benches. The plants should be large enough to 

 market seven or eight weeks later. 



There is a difference of opinion among growers as to 

 the most desirable distances for planting. The tendency 

 is to use the "new celery" culture plan, and set the plants 

 6 inches by 6 inches or 7 inches by 7 inches apart. 

 Others claim better results by allowing 15 inches or 16 

 inches between rows, and by placing the plants about 4 

 inches apart in the rows. The latter plan is probably 

 best for green varieties. 



Celery requires an abundant supply of moisture 

 throughout the period of growth. A deficiency of 

 moisture at any time is likely to prove disastrous. Ex- 

 cessively high or very low temperatures are also de- 

 cidedly objectionable, for either condition may cause a 

 large percentage of the plants to produce seed shoots. 



