THE VEGETABLE GARDEN 281 



edges of the boards to close any openings that may result from the 

 uneven surface of the soil. 



Two or three weeks' time will be required to complete the 

 blanching of the early varieties, and the boards must be kept in 

 position until the crop is removed from the ground, after which they 

 may be used again two or three times during the season. If the 

 celery is allowed to remain in the boards too long after it has reached 

 a marketable stage, it loses in weight and flavor and is liable to be 

 injured or even destroyed by the attacks of blight. This is especially 

 true during the earlier part of the season, when the weather is warm. 

 At the end of the season the boards should be piled flat, with strips 

 inserted at every fourth or fifth course, and the whole pile roofed 

 over to shed off rain ; treated in this manner they will last from ten 

 to twelve years. 



Perhaps the most satisfactory way of blanching early celery on 

 a small scale is by means of ordinary farm drain tiles of about 4 

 inches inside diameter, placed over the plants after they have become 

 almost fully grown. To facilitate the work of placing the tiles over 

 the plants, some of the outside leaves should be pulled away and the 

 main part of the plant loosely tied together by means of a soft string, 

 or, better, with what is known as paper twine, being a string made by 

 twisting a strip of soft paper. This string will lose its strength as 

 soon as it becomes wet, and will offer no resistance to the further 

 growth of the plant. If the common, unglazed tiles are used the 

 evaporation from their surface has a tendency to keep the plant cool 

 during the heat of the day, and a very crisp and tender product is 

 the result. This method of blanching is desirable also on account 

 of its cleanliness, as celery treated in this way will need very little 

 washing before marketing. 



The most common method for blanching celery on a small scale 

 is that of banking with soil, and it is by this means that the finest 

 flavor can be obtained. Where the plants are set in single rows the 

 soil can often be partially thrown up by means of a plow, or, better, 

 by a celery hiller. Before the plow or banking machine is used a 

 small quantity of dirt must be placed around the plants by hand to 

 hold them in position while the earth is being thrown around them. 

 This may also be accomplished by tying up the plants with paper 

 twine, as previously recommended for use in connection with tiles. 



Storing. The plan usually adopted where but a small quantity 

 of celery is to be stored for winter use is to bank up with earth and 

 cover the plants where grown. Place enough earth around the base 

 of the plants to hold them in good form, and then allow them to 

 remain without any further banking as long as there is not danger 

 of a hard frost. Celery may be safely stored in cellars provided the 

 temperature is kept low and plenty of ventilation maintained. The 

 warmth and dampness of the ordinary cellar have a tendency to 

 cause the celery to decay, but these conditions can frequently be 

 overcome. Celery will readily absorb any odor that may be present 

 in the atmosphere of the storage place, and care should be taken to 

 provide sanitary conditions. When storing in a cellar, the plants 



