186 The Profitable Culture of Vegetables. 



is run between the rows of plants and then a good soaking with 

 water is given. After about two days the plants in the cold 

 frames are carefully lifted with a trowel, or if on beds a spade 

 is pushed under the plants, which are then carefully separated 

 so as preserve the roots, and are taken in baskets, boxes, or on 

 hand-barrows to the planting ground. If the plants are well 

 advanced in growth, it is a good plan to cut off part of the 

 larger leaves ; they will then feel the shock of removal much 

 less than when the leaves are left entire. 



The manner of planting out the Celery calls for serious con- 

 sideration. There are two entirely different methods, either of 

 which will give satisfactory results if properly carried out. 

 The customary way is to grow the plants in trenches containing 

 one or more rows, single rows being the most usual in market 

 garden work. The space from centre to centre of single row 

 trenches varies from 3ft. to 4ft., and the space between the 

 plants from Sin. to 1ft., according to the variety grown, the 

 closer planting being for dwarf early varieties and the wider 

 for main-crops. 



In the other method the planting is done on the flat, in broad 

 beds, the plants being set at distances apart varying from 

 lOin. to 14in. in each direction. It is obvious that the number 

 which can be grown on a given area is enormously increased 

 by this method, and that the labour involved is much less than 

 when a similar number is grown in trenches, though the quality, 

 even under the best culture, is not so high as when the "sticks" 

 are well blanched by earthing-up. With proper care, however, 

 they are good and meet with a ready sale, the early crops 

 realising very good prices, and it would therefore appear to be 

 only a question of time for the broad bed system to largely 

 displace planting in trenches, at least for the earliest supplies. 

 A description of the more customary methods of growing will, 

 however, be given first. 



Preparation of Trenches. The ground intended for Celery 

 should be in an open position, with a good supply of water 

 available, abundant moisture being indispensable to its produc- 

 tion. The soil should be deeply worked and heavily- manured. 

 If it is of a kindly free-working nature this operation may be 

 arranged so that a spring crop of onions, collards, cabbage, 



