Cultural Directions. 175 



Prize Earliest has recently been introduced as earlier even 

 than Snowball or Early Erfurt ; desirable alike for forcing and 

 open-air culture. 



Earliest Dwarf Erfurt. One of the old stand-bys, and a 

 sure header. 



(Extra) Early Paris. Popular for forcing. 



Autumn Giant, Veitch's Autumn Giant. A large, late, 

 vigorous growing sort, with large firm heads, well covered by the 

 inner leaves. 



CELERY. 



Apium Graveolens. German, Sellerie ; French, Celeri ; 

 Spanish, Apio. Celery fits so admirably into the crop rotation 

 of market as well as home gardens, that it has become indispens- 

 able in both. It affords an opportunity, after early crops are 

 taken off, to make profitable use of the ground from mid- 

 season until winter, and brings money to the market grower, and 

 a daily relish of unsurpassed deliciousness for fall and winter to 

 the home gardener. The newer methods and newer varieties have 

 now greatly simplified its culture, and rendered quite easy what 

 formerly was an awkward and laborious task. 



GROWING THE PLANTS. A supply of good plants is the very 

 foundation an indispensable requisite of success. It is true, 

 plants are freely advertised for sale by good growers at very 

 reasonable rates ; but my experience with such plants, after they 

 have been packed for shipment, and gone through the hands of 

 express companies, is far from satisfactory. I find that they come 

 pretty high in the end, and often they cost more than the crop 

 is worth after it is grown. The average quality of celery plants 

 sold by growers, in my estimation, is rather poor. I grow 

 annually a few thousand plants above what I need for my own 

 use, and usually sell the surplus. After the best plants are picked 

 out for planting, I consider those I sell of no more than fairly 

 passable quality ; yet the buyers hardly ever failed to compli- 

 ment me upon the fine plants that I furnished them. This shows 

 that they are not accustomed to buy really first-class plants, and 

 for this reason I am sure that the wisest, in fact the only safe, 

 course for celery growers is to raise their own plants. If my 

 instructions are followed to the letter, it is a comparatively easy 

 thing to do. 



In early spring prepare a rich, but clean, moist, and some- 

 what protected patch of ground. Put on plenty of fine compost, 

 which should be free from weed seeds ; and fork, spade or plow 

 it into the soil. A top-dressing of composted poultry manure 

 (wood-ashes, fertilizer, or whatever is on hand and thought of 

 benefit to the land) may then be applied and mixed with the 



