278 



UMBELLIFER.E. XXXVII. APIUM. 



the root is formed into a brush of fibres ; and by thus prevent- 

 ing the pushing of a tap-root, the plant never runs to seed be- 

 fore the following spring. " Cal. hort. mem. vol. 2. 



Transplanting into trenches. When either the plants left in 

 the seed-bed, or those removed, are from 6 to 12 inches high, 

 or when the latter have acquired a stalky growth, by 4 or 5 

 weeks' nurture in the intermediate bed, transplant them into 

 trenches for blanching. For this purpose allot an open com- 

 partment. Mark out the trenches a foot wide, and from 3 feet 

 to 3| distant; dig out each trench lengthwise, a spade in width, 

 and a light spit deep, that is, 6 or 8 inches, or even a foot. Lay 

 the excavated earth smoothly in the intervals, making the edges 

 of the trenches equally full and straight ; also loosen the bottom 

 moderately, in a level order, to receive the plants. Before in- 

 serting them, it would essentially strengthen the soil, to apply 

 some good rotten dung in each trench 3 inches thick, and let it 

 be dug into the bottom regularly a moderate depth. Then having 

 lifted the plants, just thin any long straggling tops of the leaves 

 and fibres of the roots ; also slip off side shoots ; plant a single 

 row along the bottom of each trench, 4 or 5 inches apart. Give 

 a good watering directly, and occasionally after, if the weather 

 be dry, till the plants take root, and show renewed growth. 

 Continue planting out a monthly succession in June, July, Au- 

 gust, and September ; thus providing for a supply from July 

 and August of the present summer throughout the course of 

 autumn and winter, till May in the following spring. Judd pre- 

 pares his ground for transplanting by trenching in 2 spades deep, 

 mixing with it in the operation a good dressing of well-reduced 

 dung from the old forcing beds. He says, " I give it a second 

 trenching in order that the dung may be better incorporated 

 with the mould, and then leave it in as rough a state as possible, 

 till my plants are ready to be put out." In the ground thus 

 prepared, he forms trenches 20 inches deep, and 6 feet distant 

 from each other, measuring from the centre of each trench. 

 Before planting he reduces the depth of the trenches to 3 inches, 

 by digging in sufficient dung to fill them so much up. At the 

 time of planting, if the weather be dry, the trenches are well 

 watered in the morning, and the plants are put in, 6 inches apart 

 in a row, in the evening, care being taken by the mode above 

 mentioned, to keep the fibres quite wet whilst out of ground ; as 

 they are drawn from the nursery-bed, the plants are dressed for 

 planting, and then laid regularly in the garden pan. The 

 trenches, in which his rows of celery are planted, being so very 

 shallow, the roots of the plants grow nearly on a level with the 

 surface of the ground : this he considers particularly advanta- 

 geous ; for as considerable cavities are necessarily formed on 

 each side when the moulding takes place, all injury from stag- 

 nant water or excess of moisture is prevented. The trenches 

 when planted are watered, as may be required. He prepares 

 his ground for celery during the winter, and avoids putting 

 much of a crop in the space between the trenches, especially 

 one that grows tall, as he finds celery does best when it grows 

 as open as possible. Walker makes his trenches at 4 feet dis- 

 tance, and 18 inches wide, 12 deep, and filled 9 inches with a 

 compound of fresh strong soil, and well-rotted dung ; three- 

 fourths dung, and one-fourth soil. Old hot-bed dung is the 

 best. The plants should be taken up with as much soil as will 

 conveniently adhere to the roots, and the side-shoots are removed 

 from the stems ; they are then set with the hand at 9 or 1 

 inches apart, in the centre of each trench ; it is necessary to 

 water well until they are ready to be earthed, but not after- 

 wards. 



Landing or earthing vp. As the plants in trenches rise from 

 10 to 15 inches high, Abercrombie begins to land-up for blanch- 

 ing, observing " to trim in the earth gently when first raised to 

 the stems, with a hoe or spade, but mostly the latter. When 



the plants are of a more advanced growth, earth them up equally 

 on both sides each row, 3-4 or 5 inches, according to the 

 strength and height of the different crops. Repeat this once a 

 week or fortnight, till by degrees they are landed-up from 12 

 inches to 2 feet, in order to blanch them of some considerable 

 length. Continue thus landing-up the different crops from July 

 till February. As the autumnal and main winter crops attain 

 full growth, give them a final landing-up near the tops, which 

 will increase the length of the blanched part, and also protect 

 the later crops more effectually during the winter." In landing- 

 up celery, Judd does " not think it well to load the plants with 

 too much mould at first. The two first mouldings, therefore, 

 are done very sparingly, and only with a common draw-hoe, 

 forming a ridge on each side of the row, and leaving the plants 

 in a hollow, to receive the full benefit of the rain and the water- 

 ings. When the plants are strong enough to bear 6 inches high 

 of mould, the moulding is done with the spade, taking care to 

 leave bases enough to support the masses of mould, which will 

 ultimately be used in the ridge, and still keeping for some time 

 the plants in a hollow, as before directed. The process of mould- 

 ing is continued through the autumn, gradually diminishing the 

 breadth of the top, until at last it is drawn to as sharp a ridge 

 as possible to stand the winter. In the operation it is necessary, 

 in order to prevent the earth from falling into the hearts of the 

 plants, to keep the outer leaves as close together as possible ; 

 for this purpose, before I begin the moulding I take long bands 

 of bass matting, tied together till of sufficient length to answer 

 for an entire row, and I fasten this string to the first plant in the 

 row, then pass it to the next plant, giving it one twist round the 

 leaves, and so on till I reach the other, where it is again fas- 

 tened ; when the moulding is finished, the string is easily un- 

 ravelled, by beginning to untwist it at the end where it was last 

 fastened." Walker, having removed the lateral shoots, the* 

 leaves of each plant being held together with one hand, the soil 

 pulverized, is drawn round with the other, taking care not to 

 earth up too high at once, nor too close. The heart should 

 always be left quite free. This may be repeated about once a 

 fortnight until the plants are ready for use. 



Late crop. For late spring celery to stand till the end of 

 May in the returning spring, without running considerably, it is 

 expedient to make a small late sowing at the commencement of 

 May. The plants when 6 weeks old may be pricked on inter- 

 mediate beds, 6 inches by 3 asunder ; to remain till September 

 or October, then transplant them into moderate trenches ; as 

 they advance in growth, earth them up a little in winter, and 

 finally in the spring in February and March. 



Occasional shelter. On the approach of frost take up a part 

 of the crop, and lay it by under dry sand for winter use. To 

 preserve the plants left in the bed, lay some long dry litter over 

 the tops, which remove in every interval of mild weather. It js 

 a common complaint, that very fine looking celery is often found 

 to be rotten at the base of the leaf-stalks ; the fact being, that 

 when it is full grown, and the blanching completed, it begins to 

 decay, and will not keep good in the ground for more than a 

 month at most. Some, therefore, take up and preserve in dry 

 sand, but in that situation it soon becomes tough and dry. The 

 best mode seems to be that of forming successive plantations. 



Taking the crop. It is best to begin at one end of the row, 

 and dig clean down to the roots, which then loosen with a spade, 

 that they may be drawn up entire without breaking the stalks. 



Cultivation ofceleriac. The times of sowing are the same as 

 that for other sorts of celery. The plants require a rich well- 

 manured soil, and according to an account communicated by 

 Lord Stanhope to Mr. Sabine, the plants are reared on a hot- 

 bed under glass, and transplanted when 2 or 3 inches high to 

 another hot-bed, and set an inch and a half apart. In the be- 



