ACETARIOUS PLANTS. 307 



sionally imported from Hamburgh into this country ; 

 but it rarely forms an object of cultivation in English 

 gardens. 



The most favourable soil for the growth of celery 

 is a rich vegetable mould. This plant is raised from 

 seed sown in spring ; an early crop being sometimes 

 brought forward on a moderate hot-bed. When the 

 plants are from two to four inches high, the seed-bed 

 is thinned, and those removed are transplanted, from 

 three to six inches apart from each other, in an inter- 

 mediate bed. They remain in this situation till they 

 become vigorous plants of from six to twelve inches 

 high; they are then finally transplanted, and, gener- 

 ally, into trenches. The plants are placed at from 

 five to ten inches apart, and as vegetation goes for- 

 ward the stems are gradually earthed in ; this opera- 

 tion being repeated every fortnight, till at length they 

 are covered to one and even to two feet high, in order 

 that they may be blanched, and thus a considerable 

 portion be made edible. By this management celery 

 is obtained from August till March ; and where the 

 soil is favourable, and the cultivation skilful, these 

 plants attain to a very large size. A head of celery, 

 cultivated in the neighbourhood of Manchester, and 

 dug up in the autumn of 1815, weighed, when washed, 

 nine pounds, inclusive of the roots and leaves, and 

 measured four feet and a half in height. It was of 

 the red sort, very crisp and delicate, and of a good 

 flavour.* 



The RADISH Raphanus sativtis is usually de- 

 scribed as being a native of China ; but whether 

 it was introduced thence direct into Britain has not 

 been ascertained. It has long been in cultivation in 

 this country. Bullein, who wrote in 1562, says : 

 1 Of radish-rootes there be no small store growing 

 about the famous city of London : they be more 



* London's Encyc. of Card. 



