FIELD CULTURE FOR CELERY. 249 



as they can be moved along the row as the celery is used. 

 Never bank or board it when wet, and be sure to have both 

 bank and boards close enough at the top so that the leaves 

 will shed the rain to the outside. 



Bleaching may be done in garden culture by the use of 

 drain tiles or by wrapping the plants in pieces of sack- 

 ing, or by boards on each side of the row of plants. Any 

 arrangement which excludes light and water from the 

 stems will accomplish the desired results. 



Celery and Potatoes. Sometimes an alternation of po- 

 tato and celery rows is favored. The potatoes are planted 

 in the winter months and they shade the young celery 

 plants when they are first planted, and when the celery 

 rows are split the operation banks the potatoes. This is 

 for moist land where banking of potatoes is desirable. 



FIELD CULTURE. 



Field culture of celery on the very friable peat lands 

 of Orange county has developed appliances and processes 

 which are very effective and satisfactory, and cheapen 

 production to an extent not attainable except on very 

 friable soils. Still the practices inculcate the ends to be 

 attained in all cases, though the means may differ. Mr. S. 

 J. Murdock has given a very explicit description of the 

 methods he has found most satisfactory in his experience, 

 from which the following is largely compiled. 



The Seed-bed. A seed-bed which is naturally moist or 

 which can be sub-irrigated is preferable, although the 

 raised bed with irrigation by seepage, or other arrange- 

 ment for maintaining moisture may be used. The soil 

 must be light and free from baking. The seed-bed should 

 be plowed by the middle of December and left rough for 

 the action of frosts and rain, and about two weeks before 

 sowing, harrow down and thoroughly hand rake. Let it 

 lie till seed-time, which is from March to June, as to sea- 

 son or as early or late planting is desired. The early-sown 

 seed requires longer time to make plants large enough for 

 planting, but if planted moderately thick and well cared 



