CHAPTER XL 



Celery. 



IN mild seasons like the present, celery can be grown to as 

 great perfection in the coast country of Texas and the 

 Gulf States as anywhere in the world, and to-day, the 

 25th of February, the Galveston News was presented with a 

 lot that measured 34 inches in length, perfectly bleached 

 and of most excellent quality. Its culture here is just as 

 elsewhere, only the seed should be 'well shaded if sown in Au- 

 gust, when some persons plant, though September is a better 

 month, and from then on to December seed may be sown, and 

 will make finely in spring. It will greatly facilitate the com- 

 ing up of the earlier plantings if the seeds are soaked in 

 water a few hours, and then put up in a cloth with a few 

 handfuls of soil, to sprout for a week. The late sowings must 

 be made in coldframes, and carefully protected in severe 

 weather, which sometimes occurs here, and does serious dam- 

 age to mature crops also. The latter can be perfectly pro- 

 tected by going to the small expense of 8 or lo-inch planks, 

 to be laid flat on top of the rows in case of a freeze, after 

 the plants have had their last hilling. However, the young 

 and half-grown ones, where exposed, even if cut down to the 

 ground, will shoot out quickly again, and make fine celery in 

 the end. In earthing up, it is necessary to be careful, and 

 never handle the plants when they are wet with dew or rain, 

 else they are likely to take the rust, which is about the only 

 enemy the crop has here. Of course, rich ground is just as 

 important for this as other crops. Close planting each way is 

 not suited here, as it would require flat culture, and the plants 

 could not be protected from the cold, as can that grown in 

 rows by the old method. Settings may be made all through 

 the fall and winter, and prices are always good for this crop, 

 as it stands shipping well. 



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