CULTURE OF THE CELERY. 669 



the leaves to elaborate nourishment, and return it to the root ; and 

 hence, celery which is intended to grow of large size should be nearly 

 full-grown before it is earthed up at all. Celery has been grown 

 averaging from 9 Ibs. to 12 Ibs. weight, which had not been finally 

 earthed up more than three weeks before it was gathered, and which 

 had only one slight earthing-up previously to the final one, which was 

 in September. On the other hand, when celery is wished to be of 

 small size, and tender, it ought to be earthed up in an early stage of 

 its growth, and the process continued as it advances in height. If the 

 plants have been liberally supplied with water, excepting during rains, 

 they will be ready to receive the first earthing-up in three or four 

 weeks. This is done by paring down a little soil on each side of the 

 trench with the spade, drawing it against the plants by hand, and 

 taking care that none of it gets into their hearts. To prevent this, 

 each plant may be first slightly wrapped round with a strand of 

 matting. The earthing-up may then proceed with rapidity, and when 

 finished the matting should be removed. It is scarcely necessary to 

 observe, that where there are two rows in a trench, both must be tied 

 up at the same time ; or that when the rows are made across a broad 

 trench the whole must be tied before any are earthed up. The height 

 of the soil applied may be three, four, or five inches, according to the 

 height of the plants ; and the earthings-up may take place at intervals 

 of ten days or a fortnight, till by degrees the stalks are covered to the 

 height of twelve inches for the earliest crop, and eighteen inches, or 

 two feet, or more, for the later crops ; always taking care to perform 

 the operation when the plants are quite dry, and to keep the heart 

 open and free ; excepting in the last earthing before winter, when the 

 summits of the plants may be nearly closed to exclude rain. The 

 longer celery is allowed to grow before applying the soil the longer 

 time does it require to blanch ; but in general three weeks or a month 

 will effect this, more especially in the early part of the season. The 

 latest crop of celery which is to be in use through the winter will require 

 to be protected by dry litter, or thatched hurdles, during severe frosts; 

 or it may be taken up and preserved in sand or soil, in a shed or cellar. 

 When celery is frozen, it begins to rot immediately after the first 

 thaw ; and therefore to prolong a crop in the open garden, protection 

 of some sort is essential on the approach of severe frosts. 



Late Spring Celery. As celery is in great demand for soups in 

 most families, especially during winter and spring, when other delicate 

 vegetables are scarce, a crop may be procured till the beginning of 

 June by the following means : Sow on a seed-bed about the middle 

 of May ; prick out, when the plants are six weeks old, into rows six 

 inches apart, and allow the plants to remain in this nursery till Sep- 

 tember or October, then transplant them into trenches ; earth them up 

 slightly, and protect them by litter or thatched hurdles during winter ; 

 and in February or March earth them up finally. The stalks thus 

 produced will not always be fit to use in salads, but they will be valu- 

 able for soups and stews. No celery crop that has been blanched in 

 autumn will keep sound longer than the end of March ; but green 



