CELERY FIELD CULTURE 205 



thick and well cared for, makes strong, sturdy plants. At planting 

 rake the surface thoroughly again with a sharp, .close-toothed rake 

 and either drill or sow seed broadcast. The drill is preferable but 

 if broadcast lightly rake the seed in and either roll or firm the soil 

 thoroughly, as there is much seed lost by neglecting this part. The 

 seed-beds are generally made from four to six feet wide, leaving 

 roorg between each bed to weed and clip them, which constitutes 

 the after care except to keep them moist. Keep as free from weeds 

 as possible, and when the plants get about three inches high, clip the 

 tops about half way down, and when they get three or four inches 

 high, if not ready to plant, clip again, as the keeping of tops back 

 makes the roots strong. 



Irrigation is often used to start the plants strongly at first, but 

 subsequent growth is secured by very sparing use of water if pos- 

 sible. Standing water among the young plants should not be 

 allowed. It is usually counted that one acre of seed-bed will furnish 

 plants for twenty acres of planting out. 



Planting in the Field. The land should be thoroughly cleaned 

 of trash and given early and thorough preparation as will be de- 

 scribed in the chapter on corn. In Orange county planting in the 

 early part of June brings the crop for Thanksgiving and in July for 

 the holidays and later. In the Stockton district experience has 

 favored planting out not later than June in order to bring the crop 

 out of the field before the heavy rains and frosts of the lowlands 

 in the early winter, which have previously occasioned some heavy 

 losses. 



Laying off for planting may be done by taking off all but the 

 three inside discs of a disc harrow, attaching a shovel plow in the 

 middle and close behind the harrow, and following this with a five 

 or six-foot roller with a raised belt around the center, which runs 

 in the plow furrow and forms a compact trench about six inches 

 deep. Three and one-half or four feet is the usual distance between 

 the trenches, and the plants are set six inches apart in the bottom 

 of the trench. 



A full crew of planters is ten men; one to lay out the furrows, 

 one spacer or marker, who has an implement which makes from 

 four to twelve holes at a time, depending on the size of tool used. 

 There are also four planters and four plant pullers. It is the duty 

 of the first man to draw the furrows as straight and as near equi- 

 distant as possible, give general supervision of the planting and see 



