704 



CELERY 



CELERY 



rooted plant and the materials should not be placed 

 at great depths. 



All classes of growers, whether they are producing 

 on a garden or field scale, and whatever their type of 

 soil may be, recognize stable-manures as the best fer- 

 tilizer that can be applied for this crop. Stable-manures 

 are the most satisfactory because they furnish 

 both organic matter and plant- food. It is often 

 desirable to supplement stable-manures with 

 commercial fertilizers, but the success of this crop 

 will be far more certain if reliance is placed on 

 barn-manures rather than chemical fertilizers. 



An effort should be made to have the manures 

 near the surface of the ground, and this can be accom- 

 plished by applying rotten or composted manure after 

 plowing and working into the soil with a disc-harrow. If 

 coarse fresh manure must be used and partially decayed 

 manure is not available, it is preferable to apply it be- 

 fore plowing. Market-gardeners often apply thirty to 

 forty tons to the acre, although smaller quantities give 

 excellent results, especially if fertilizers are used in 

 addition to the manure. Ten tons of manure on muck 

 land is a decided advantage over no manure, even 

 when fertilizers are used in large quantities. 



Probably no commercial grower of celery should 

 attempt to produce this crop without the use of at 

 least some commercial fertilizer. When stable-manures 

 are used lavishly, a little acid phosphate, nitrate of 

 soda or potash will often give increased profits. 



When stable-manure is not used at all, or perhaps 

 in very small amounts, commercial fertilizers should 

 be used with freedom. Two tons of a high-grade fer- 

 tilizer to the acre is not an unusual application, and 

 some of the most intensive growers use larger amounts. 

 In the smaller areas, from which a gross return of $800 

 to $1,200 to the acre is expected, there should be no 

 hesitancy in spending $100 to $125 an acre for manure 

 and fertilizer. Celery requires much nitrogen and the 

 mixed fertilizer applied before planting, or afterwards 

 as a side-dressing, should contain not less that 4 per 

 cent of this element. There should also be an abundance 

 of potash and phosphoric acid. A fertilizer containing 

 4 per cent of nitrogen, 8 per cent phosphoric acid and 

 10 per cent potash should meet the requirements of 

 this crop in all soils, when applied in sufficient quantity. 



Some growers have found it highly desirable to apply 

 nitrate of soda or complete fertilizer as side-dressings 

 after the crop is well started. These applications may 

 vary from 100 to 200 pounds to the acre and should be 

 made at intervals of about three weeks. 



Starting the plants. 



The greatest care should be exercised in procuring 

 seed, for inferior seed may result in pithy or hollow 



859. Celery planted thick, and the patch edged with boards. 

 The "new celery-culture." 



stalks, a poor stand of plants in the seed-bed, seedlings 

 of low vitality, or a large percentage of seed shoots. 

 Only the most reliable dealers, those who have a repu- 

 tation for furnishing first-class seed of the varieties 

 desired, should be patronized. To make certain of 

 securing good seed, some careful growers import their 



seed directly from foreign producers, which, however, 

 is unnecessary if the proper precautions are taken in 

 the selection of a responsible seedsman. Practically 

 all of the seed of the self -blanching varieties is grown 

 in France, while most of the seed of green varieties is 

 produced in California. As there is never absolute 



certainty of securing en- 

 tirely satisfactory seed, 

 some growers follow the 

 excellent practice of buy- 

 ing in large amounts, 

 sufficient to last several 

 years. Only a small 

 quantity of the seed is planted 

 the first year to determine its 

 real merit, and if found satis- 

 factory there is sufficient quan- 

 tity on hand to last several years. 

 If kept in sealed jars in a room 

 where the temperature does not 

 vary greatly, the germinating 

 power will be retained at least 

 six years. 



Celery seed is very small. An 

 ounce contains about 70,000 

 seeds, and with the very best 

 conditions should produce at 

 least half this number of plants. 

 It is not safe, however, to count 

 on a much greater number than 

 10,000 plants to the ounce, be- 

 cause many of the seeds usually 

 fail to germinate and the plants 

 at first are very small and easily 

 perishable. The seeds are slow 

 to germinate. They should be 

 planted in fine soil which, if pos- 



860. Blanching celery by 

 wrapping it with paper. 



sible, should be kept constantly moist but never wet. 



Seed for the early crop is seldom sown before the 

 first of March. If checked in growth at any time, there 

 is great danger of the plants producing seed shoots 

 which renders them unsalable. Plants started the first 

 of March will, with proper care, be ready for market 

 in August. Earlier sowing is possible and sometimes 

 desirable, but adequate facilities must be provided to 

 avoid crowding the plants, which invariably results 

 in checking the growth. Some gardeners have found it 

 to be profitable to start the plants the latter part of 

 February, finally transplanting into frames, where the 

 crop is matured. 



Seed for the early crop may be sown in the beds of 

 the artificially heated frame or greenhouse. Many 

 growers use flats or shallow plant-boxes, which are 

 placed in the hotbed or greenhouse. While broadcast- 

 ing of the seed is often practised, it is better to sow in 

 drills 2 inches apart. The furrows should be very 

 shallow, as the seeds should not be covered with more 

 than Y% inch of earth. Muck mixed with a small 

 amount of sifted coal-ashes, sand and a little bone- 

 meal, is most excellent for starting plants under glass. 

 After sowing and lightly covering the seed, place a 

 piece of burlap over the bed, and water it. Keep the 

 bed covered with burlap or a piece of cloth until the 

 plants begin to come up. Do not water more than 

 necessary to keep the bed moist. When the plants 

 appear they will need plenty of light, sunshine and 

 fresh air. A temperature of 70 to 75 is most favora- 

 ble to germination, but 10 lower should be maintained 

 if possible after the plants are up. Higher tempera- 

 tures, however, will do no harm if the proper attention 

 is given to ventilation. 



When the rough leaves appear, the seedlings should 

 be transplanted into beds or preferably flats, spacing 

 the plants 1 Y^ inches apart each way. Stronger plants 

 will be developed if they are set 2 inches apart. The 

 flats may be about 2 inches deep and half filled with 



