CHAPTER II 



Areas Adapted to Celery Culture 



While a sufficient supply of celery for family 

 use may be grown in almost any locality in Amer- 

 ica, there are only certain regions particularly 

 adapted to its commercial culture. Where lOO to 

 500 plants are grown for home use, such agencies 

 as sheltering, shading, special preparation of soil, 

 and frequent watering may be permissible, although 

 such methods would prove impracticable for com- 

 mercial celery growing. 



Climatic Requirements of the Celery Plant.— 

 The production of celery on a large scale for ship- 

 ping is only practical where the climatic conditions 

 are reasonably favorable. For its best development 

 the celery plant requires a comparatively dry atmos- 

 phere and cool nights. Warm, sultry weather is 

 conducive to a soft growth, and conditions favor- 

 able to the attack of diseases. Bright sunshine and 

 warmth during the day are essential, but the cool- 

 ing during the night makes the stems crisp and 



firm. 



In America there are two zones or belts within 

 which celery can be grown with profit commer- 

 cially: (i) the northern belt throughout which the 

 crop may be grown during the summer months, 

 and (2) the southern belt within which it may be 

 grown during the late autumn and early winter. 

 In the northern belt the area is limited by the short- 



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