182 CALIFORNIA VEGETABLES 



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 sea- 

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

 tajl 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 

 together 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. Although in small areas the plants are cut-under 

 with long knives, shovels or other hand tools, on large fields the 

 harvesting is done with a "U" shaped cutter attached to an old 

 sulky plow frame, which straddles the rows of banked celery, cut- 

 ting 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 

 stalks and square the roots. It is now ready to tie in bunches 

 or crate. 



Marketing. Celery is shipped in crates, 22x25 in. base, which 

 holds six to eight dozen of celery, according to size. An average 

 crate will weigh about 145 pounds, and 160 crates make an average 

 carload. Some eastern dealers prefer the celery shipped in bulk 

 or on decks built in the car. This is a much cheaper way to ship, 

 and is claimed by some to be just as safe. In shipping in this way, 

 three decks are built in the car, and the celery is tied in bunches 

 of one dozen each and stood upright with roots resting on the decks. 

 By this method three or four hundred dozen more celery can be 



