192 The Profitable Culture of Vegetables. 



plant set alternately with the Celery in both directions. The 

 beds are made about 10ft. wide, but in this case, as blanching 

 is effected without earthing-up, no alleys for soil are left 

 between the beds, a space or path about 18in. wide, from which 

 water is given with a hose-pipe, being all that is necessary. 

 It is worth while again emphasising that no trouble must be 

 spared in keeping the plants well supplied with moisture, and 

 unless this is done it would be much better to leave this method 

 of culture severely alone. 



Blanching is done by resting mats on the tops of the plants 

 as they stand in the bed, bringing the mats down to the earth 

 all round the sides, and so covering them up closely. A repro- 

 duction from a photograph showing a bed of Celery being 

 blanched in this way is shown on the opposite page, and will 

 assist to make the matter clear ; on the left of the picture may 

 be seen a bed of plants ready for covering, and on the right a 

 bed which has just been cleared. This photograph was taken 

 about the middle of August. In the summer, when growth is 

 rapid, the Celery is fit for use in about two weeks after covering, 

 but as the season advances, and growth becomes slower, it is 

 necessary for the mats to remain on longer. 



In the case of the latest crop, which does not complete its 

 growth until well into November, blanching by covering with 

 mats is not suitable, because the length of time necessary to 

 complete the operation and the excess of damp which collects 

 and is held by the mats induces decay ; blanching is therefore 

 accomplished in the following manner: Frames of sufficient 

 depth to accommodate the Celery standing upright are knocked 

 together, or two ordinary box frames are placed one above 



the other. A few 

 inches of moist soil 

 is put at the bottom. 

 In the middle of No- 

 vember the Celery is 

 lifted, with the roots 



intact, and packed as 

 Celery Stored in Frame. ,, 



closely as it will stand 



in the frame. The soil is worked amongst the roots, row by 

 row, but none is allowed to get between the stalks. 



