110 Subtropical Vegetable-Gardening 



be fertilized again unless some thoroughly rotted compost 

 can be obtained. Fresh or undecomposed manure may 

 cause a rusting of the vegetable that unfits it for market. 

 The old method of growing celery was to prepare the land 

 well and deeply, and then make trenches 6 to 8 inches 

 deep, and set the plants in these trenches. This method 

 is not followed now by the best celery-growers. 



If one has a field of drained muckland, one should first 

 make the soil sweet, and then plant the crop. Muckland 

 may not be fit to plant celery for two or three years after 

 it has been reclaimed. It may be best to add lime, ground 

 limestone, or ashes to correct the acidity. One of the best 

 crops to prepare the land for vegetables is corn. This is 

 very exhaustive ; but the roots penetrate the soil well, and 

 corn is able to stand more sourness than many other 

 crops. Rye and oats prepare the upper stratum well, but 

 their roots do not penetrate the soil as deeply as those of 

 corn. When the soil has become perfectly homogeneous, 

 and the vegetable matter thoroughly incorporated, one 

 may feel sure that it is in good condition for celery. It is 

 advisable to test the land by planting out a short row of 

 celery on a typical portion the year before ; the growth of 

 this will tell for a certainty whether the soil is in good con- 

 dition. When the soil is in a good condition, the land 

 should be plowed deeply, thoroughly harrowed, and all 

 rubbish removed. Before plowing, all corn-stalks, large 

 weeds, sticks, and anything that may interfere with 

 cultivation, should be removed. 



If it is pinewoods land that is to be put into cultivation, 

 it must be cleared of all woody matter. The rows are 

 then laid off, and a double furrow plowed out deeply 



