46 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Jan. 



because, of course, there is always danger of a continued 

 wet season destroying it when we put it in those open 

 trenches, exposed to the weather. There is probably yet 

 room for other improvements. 



QuESTiox. How much frost will it stand without injury? 



Mr. Henderson. That depends a good deal upon its 

 condition. Celery that is grown in the open ground, say 

 in this section of the country, if there has been no frost 

 until about the 1st of November, nothing to temper it, 

 would be destroyed probal)ly by a temperature ten degrees 

 below the freezing point ; indeed, it is probable that five 

 degrees below the freezing point, under certain conditions, 

 would destroy it. But if it has been gradually tempered off 

 by chilly nights and a temperature down to just approaching 

 the freezing point, then it will stand fifteen degrees below 

 that point. That is where the difiiculty comes, in all these 

 things. It is the condition of the plant that will determine 

 how much frost it will stand. 



Mr. Fitch. May I add a word in regard to blanching? 

 There are two methods of raising this crop in Kalamazoo. 

 In one the celery is planted in furrows, about five feet apart, 

 and a foot deep. By and by it is filled up, and in the space 

 l)etween there is another row of celery set, so that they 

 have two crops a year. There are two methods of l^lanch- 

 ing it. One is to crowd the celery together and })ress the 

 earth up over it, and do it repeatedly, until j^ou have it 

 the desired length. The other method is, after you have 

 earthed it up the first time, take boards twelve or fourteen 

 inches wide, depending upon the growth of the plant, and 

 set them close to the celery and stake them up. It is a 

 rather expensive method, but some think it a better way. 

 When I was there three years ago, I found that one person 

 was tr3'ing something like drain tiles especially made for 

 the purpose. I have not learned wdiat his success was. As 

 you may well imagine, it requires an immense amount of 

 toil to do it, because the tile as well as the boards will take 

 up much room, and cost a great deal of money. 



Mr. W. W. Rawson of Arlington. I think the gentle- 

 man has made a mistake in regard to the extent of the ter- 

 ritory in Kalamazoo that is covered with celery. I think it 



