Celery 



late crops on the level, and earth up from the adjoining plots in 

 order to keep the roots dry in winter. Another step towards secur- 

 ing a late supply consists in bending the tops on one side at the final 

 earthing, which prevents the trickling of water into the heart of the 

 plant during heavy rain or snow. 



The numerous enemies of Celery, such as slugs, snails, the mole- 

 cricket, and the maggot, do not seriously interfere with the crop 

 where good cultivation prevails, but the Celery fly appears to be 

 indifferent to good cultivation, and therefore must be dealt with 

 directly. Dusting the leaves occasionally with soot has been found to 

 operate beneficially. It should be done during the month of June 

 on the mornings of days that promise to be sunny. If the soot 

 is put on carelessly it will do more harm than good ; a very fine 

 dusting will suffice to render the plant distasteful to the fly. Syring- 

 ing the leaves with water impregnated with tar has also saved plants 

 from attack. Where the eggs are lodged the leaves will soon appear 

 blistered, and the maggot within must be crushed by pinching the 

 blister between the thumb and finger. Leaves that are much 

 blistered should be removed and burned, but to rob the plants 

 of many leaves will seriously reduce the vigour of growth. 



Celeriac, or Turnip-rooted Celery, is much prized on the 

 Continent as a cooked vegetable, and as a salad. In ordinary 

 Celery the stem forms a mere basis to the leaves, but in Celeriac it 

 is developed into a knob weighing from one to five pounds. The 

 root is more easily preserved than Celery, and this accounts for its 

 popularity on the Continent, especially in Germany, where the winter 

 frost soon makes an end of the more succulent plant preferred in 

 this country. Celery cooked in the way of Sea Kale is well known 

 as a delicacy at English tables, and the cooked Celeriac ranks in 

 importance with it, though it affords quite a different dish. The 

 stem or axis of the plant is used, and not the stalks. To grow fine 

 Celeriac a long season is requisite ; and therefore it is advisable to 

 sow the seed in a gentle heat early in March, and afterwards prick 

 out and treat as Celery ; but after the first stage the treatment is 

 altogether different. For the plantation a light and rich soil is 

 required, and where the staple is heavy, a small bed can easily be 

 prepared by spreading six inches depth of any sandy soil over the 

 surface. The plants must be put out on the level a' foot and a half 

 apart each way, and be planted as shallow as possible. Before 

 planting, trim them carefully to remove lateral shoots that might 

 divide the stems, and after planting water freely. The cultivation 



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