GARDEN CULTURE OF CELERY 203 



surface layer. This surface is treacherous. Much of it will only 

 support horses when shod with plank and some cannot be traversed 

 with animals and is worked by drawing tools back and forth with 

 cables from firm headlands on each side. Still it is so productive of 

 celery that such bottomless land has been rented as high as twenty 

 dollars per acre per year. 



In addition to the peat lands celery is also successfully grown 

 on light sandy loams and on river sediments. The lightness of the 

 soil is directly involved in the blanching, which will be noted later. 



Heavy fertilization is often very desirable for celery, especially 

 on the lands just mentioned. Instances are given in which nitrate 

 of soda was used at the rate of 675 Ibs. per acre after the crop was 

 growing on land which has received twenty tons of stable manure 

 and thirty bushels of slaked lime per acre. In this case it is also 

 claimed that the crop was ready five days earlier than that which 

 received no nitrate. 



GARDEN CULTURE OF CELERY. 



Celery plants are grown in a seed-bed for transplanting to per- 

 manent place. The seed is very small and very slow of germination, 

 and success depends upon maintaining even moisture at the surface. 

 For starting plants in winter a hot-bed may be used, but high heat 

 is neither necessary nor desirable. A cold frame with cloth cover 

 would be better. But it is quite feasible in coast valley situations to 

 grow the plants in the open air early enough in the spring to get 

 the crop for the table from November onward. Simple and correct 

 suggestions for garden culture are given by Mr. S. J. Murdock of 

 Orange county as follows : 



It requires from three to four months from time of sowing the seed 

 till the plants are large enough to plant out. The warmer the weather the 

 quicker the plants will grow, and the warmer and drier the atmosphere is, 

 the more water the seed-bed will need. Select rich, friable soil and sow 

 the seed evenly and only moderately thick. Cover the seed but lightly, as 

 they are very small, and firm the soil well. Keep the soil or bed moist, not 

 soaking wet, but never dry, and have patience as they are slow to germinate. 

 Keep free from weeds and thin if too thick ; one plant to the square inch 

 is about right. When the plants get about three inches high, clip the tops 

 off, not too close, but about half way, and continue to keep the bed moist, 

 and when about four inches high clip again, and they will be ready to plant. 



In about a week or ten days lift the plants with a shovel or garden 

 trowel so as not to disturb the fine roots more than is necessary. Trim 

 the main or taproot to two or three inches and keep the roots moist until 



