20 CELERY CULTURE 



ditions favorable to the development of plant dis- 

 eases. Salt has an affinity for water and its pres- 

 ence in a soil has a tendency to maintain the proper 

 moisture content, which will be very beneficial 

 during a dry season. A few hundred pounds of 

 salt applied to each acre will not add greatly to the 

 expense for fertilizers, and will at least assist in the 

 control of any acid that may form in the soil. The 

 salt should be applied at least a month before plant- 

 ing or injury to the plants may result. 



Barnyard or Stable Manure. — Barnyard manure 

 may include that from all farm animals. Stable 

 manure as a rule consists of the waste from work 

 animals only, or at most that from work animals 

 and cows. ]\Ianure from grain-fed animals is 

 always to be preferred, but extreme care is neces- 

 sary to avoid the introduction of weed seeds with 

 the manure. Street sweepings and manure contain- 

 ing sawdust or shavings as bedding should never 

 be used on land intended for planting to celery. 

 The ultimate value of stable manure depends very 

 much upon the handling; unless properly cared for 

 and applied it will be almost worthless as a fertil- 

 izer. The fertilizing ingredients of a ton of stable 

 manure are worth about $2.50 when calculated at 

 the rate charged for them in the chemical form, 

 but as they are not readily available in the manure 

 their value is only about one-half as much, or $1.25 

 a ton. 



Aside from its chemical value, stable manure 

 has a physical effect upon most soils which is very 

 beneficial to crop production. When applied to 



