CELER Y 43 



cultivator more than of the seed or the weather, for a check operates 

 in many cases to hasten the flowering of plants, and it is not unusual 

 for Celery to receive a check through mismanagement. If sown too 

 early it may be impossible to plant out when of suitable size, and the 

 consequent arrest of growth at a most important stage may result in 

 a disposition to flower the first year, instead of waiting for the second. 

 It should be understood, therefore, that early sowing necessitates 

 early planting, and the cultivator should see his way clearly from the 

 first. 



The ist of March is early enough for a first sowing anywhere of 

 a small variety, and this will require a mild hot-bed, or a place in the 

 propagating house. Sow on rich fine soil in boxes, cover lightly and 

 place in a temperature of 60. As soon as forward enough to prick 

 out, put the plants on a rich bed close to the glass, in a temperature 

 of 60 to 65, keep liberally moist, and give air, at first with great 

 caution, but increasing as the natural temperature rises until the 

 lights can be removed during the day. The plant may thus be 

 hardened for a first planting on a warm border in a bed consisting of 

 one-half rotten hot-bed manure and one-half of turfy loam. The 

 bed need not be deep, but it must be constantly moist, and old lights 

 should be at hand to give shelter when needful. If well grown in 

 trenches, this first crop will be of the finest quality, and will come in 

 early. 



For the general crop a second sowing may be made of the finest 

 Pink and White varieties, also on a mild hot-bed, in the second week 

 of March, and have treatment similar to the first, but once pricking 

 out into the open bed will be sufficient, the forwardest plants being 

 put out first at six inches, and to have shelter if needful ; other 

 plantings in the same way to follow until the seed-bed is cleared out. 

 By good management this sowing may be made to serve the purpose 

 of three sowings, the chief point being to prick out the forwardest 

 plants on another mild bed as soon as they are large enough to be 

 lifted out, and to make a succession from the same seed-bed as the 

 plants advance to a suitable size. 



The third and last sowing may be made in the second week of 

 April, in an open border, on rich light soil, and should have the 

 shelter of mats or old lights during cold weather. From this, also, 

 there should -be two or three prickings out, the first to be transferred 

 to a bit of hard ground, covered with about three inches of rich 

 mulchy stuff, in the warmest spot that can be found, and the last 

 to a similar bed on the coldest spot in the garden. In the final 



