BLANCHING AND HARVESTING 207 



to be injured by this rolling of the middles, the ridges are smoothed 

 down by the cultivator. 



Splitting. When the plants are twelve to fifteen inches tall, 

 earth from between the rows is drawn up to them. This is termed 

 "splitting." This should be done carefully, for, if the earth is put 

 too close or too high up on the plants, they will become tender and 

 weak, especially if the weather is hot. The object of "splitting" is 

 to gradually encourage the plants to grow tall and straight instead 

 of spreading out. This operation is repeated twice during the 

 season, the first time when the plants are fourteen to sixteen inches 

 tall and the second time just before banking. This last "splitting" 

 also aids blanching. 



Blanching. There is in market gardens some blanching with 

 boards set on edge on each side of the rows secured by stakes made 

 of lath stuck in the ground and tied together at the top, but in large 

 field growth it is done by banking the soil up to the plants. This is 

 done by a machine made the reverse of the crowder described for 

 first use and much larger and heavier. It is used with wide end 

 forward, which draws and crowds the loose earth up to the plants. 

 Blanching is done when the celery is reaching its maturity and is 

 nearly ready for shipment. This is the last field operation before 

 the crop is cut. When the celery is banked for the first time the 

 earth is not drawn very high on the plants, but each time the field is 

 banked the soil is drawn higher so as to firmly hold the leaves to- 

 gether and in an upright position. If celery that has been banked 

 for the last time is not harvested shortly, it will soon become 

 "punky." The length of time that it can safely be left in the bank 

 depends upon the character of the soil, the weather conditions, and 

 upon the condition of the plants themselves. Celery on sandy soil 

 will keep much longer in the bank than on adobe or peat soil. If 

 the celery has not matured or if the weather is hot or moist its 

 keeping quality will be injured. Holding too long in the bank will 

 result in a wilted and "punky" product. 



Harvesting. The harvesting is done with a "U" shaped cutter 

 attached to an old sulky plow frame, drawn on each side and under 

 the rows of banked celery, cutting off the roots and raising the plants 

 in the loose soil. This is followed by the trimmers, who lift the 

 plants, trim off the outer stalk and square the roots. It is now 

 ready to tie in bunches or crate. 



