300 



Cultivation of Celery. 



Vol. IX. 



yet to learn it, I beg to hand you the result 

 of my own experience for the last twenty- 

 five years. 



In this country it is not necessary to sow 

 the seed before the month of May, and then 

 in the open ground, well manured with sta- 

 ble dung thoroughly cured, and not less than 

 a year old. The colour, whether white or 

 red, is a matter of taste. I generally mix 

 my seed, and thus have both species. The 

 seed is slow of vegetation, but, if good, never 

 fails to germinate. Whether the seed be 

 sown broadcast or in drills, is a matter of 

 no consequence ; as the seed being very 

 small, the plants are sure to shoot up thick. 

 So soon as the sprouts have attained the 

 height of an inch, they should be pricked 

 out in a bed of rich mould, at the distance 

 of about three inches each way from each 

 other. You cannot have good strong stocky 

 plants without pursuing this method. If left 

 standing in the seedling-bed, they will grow 

 spindling, weak, and consumptive. No more 

 attention is required, excepting that of keep 

 ing the plants perfectly free from weeds un 

 til August, when you will find the plants 

 strong, healthy and vigorous. 



Any time in this month dig your trenches 

 eighteen inches deep and as many wide 

 For this purpose I generally occupy the 

 ground that has been used for early peas. 



The quality of the celery, and chiefly its 

 growth, depends entirely upon the next step. 

 The trenches should be half filled with tho- 

 roughly cured stable manure. I have found 

 the manure used for early hot-beds the best 

 It never fails of success. The increased 

 fermentation of the manure, by the repeated 

 waterings of the beds, the escape of the 

 ammonia and noxious qualities of the ma- 

 nure render it sweet and capable of impart- 

 ing the mildest and richest flavour to the 

 plant. If fresh manure from the yard, of 

 whatever kind, is used, the celery will inva- 

 riably grow strong and rank, with as little 

 delicacy of flavour as there is in the manure. 

 With a garden fork of four tines, strike 

 through the manure in the trench into the 

 earth beneath and bring it up fresh, care- 

 fully mixing it with the manure as you pro- 

 ceed from one end of the trench to the other. 

 Attention to this point is indispensable to the 

 growth of good celery. 



The plants taken up should be trimmed 

 about the crown, just at the top of the root; 

 all the young suckers taken ofl^, leaving the 

 plant trim and neat, with all its main stalks. 

 With a dibble, which should be as large as 

 the handle of a spade, as the roots will now 

 be of considerable size, begin at one end of 

 the trench with your face towards the other, 

 and set in a single row of plants in the mid- 



dle of the trench, and not less than six 

 inches asunder; water them well. No tee- 

 totaler loves water better than does celery. It 

 cannot have too much. The roots of this 

 plant require more room than is generally 

 allowed them, as any one may see when 

 they are taken up for the table. 



Earthing up the plants should be delayed 

 until they have attained a good size; and 

 then it requires care, especially the first 

 time. I always get into the trench myself, 

 and, holding the plant with all its stalks 

 firmly in my left hand, with a short-handled 

 small hoe draw the earth up round the 

 plant, without allowing it to come in be- 

 tween the stalks. When this is done, and 

 the plants thus protected, you may, with a 

 spade, strike off" the edges of the trench, 

 and partially fill it. As the plant grows — 

 as it now will, if well watered in dry wea- 

 ther, with great vigor — continue to earth 

 up, and by tlie 1st of November the plants 

 will be two feet above the level of the earth, 

 with a main stalk the size of a man's arm. 



Sometimes, particularly if the season be 

 dry, celery is liable to be attacked by a fly. 

 In that case you will see the tops of the 

 celery turn brown and wither. The moment 

 that symptom appears, no time is to be lost 

 in calling in the doctor; for the whole crop 

 is at stake. The cause of the disease is the 

 sting of a fly upon the leaves of the celery. 

 The egg is deposited between the integu- 

 ments of the leaf, and soon hatches into a 

 small white worm — ^sometimes visible on 

 opening the leaf to the naked eye, always 

 by the aid of a microscope. If not attended 

 to, the disease gradually descends to the 

 root, and the whole plant falls a sacrifice. 

 Amputate every defective and diseased leaf; 

 and early in the morning, whilst the dew is 

 on, sift on to the whole of the plants fresh 

 slacked lime. One such powdering is gene- 

 rally suflScient ; but if not, give them an- 

 other dose, and the first rain that falls will 

 wash the plants clean, and you will probably 

 see them fresh, green, and stretching away 

 towards maturity. 



With regard to the mode of securing the 

 crop for winter use, gentlemen have their 

 fancies. I prefer leaving the plants in their 

 original trenches, earthing up to the top of 

 the plants, and covering with straw litter 

 and boards, so as to protect them sufficiently 

 from the frost, to be able to take them up as 

 wanted ; and this always fresh and sweet. 

 I do not fancy disturbing the roots, and 

 transplanting into narrow quarters. 



Finally, any one in this country who 

 wishes to have " first-rate" celery must cul- 

 tivate it himself. Common labourers are 

 sure to spoil it. Professional gardeners are 



