Cultural Directions. — 2ig 



press the soil firmly against the roots, so that a leaf would tear 

 off quicker than allow the plant to be pulled up by it. To apply 

 a half pint of water to each plant after setting is a good 

 precaution. 



After-Culture. — The ground must be kept clean and 

 mellow, and the plants in growing condition by the frequent use 

 of wheel-hoe, horse-hoe, steel-rake, and hoe. Next comes what 

 is called " handling." When the plants have made a good 

 growth, and the nights begin to get cool, late in August, the 

 ground near the plants receives a thorough loosening, either by 

 plowing a shallow furrow towards the row from each side, or by 

 drawing soil up to it with the hoe. The gardener now gets 

 down on his knees, straddling the row, and gathering up all the 

 stalks of one plant after another in his left hand, packs the soil 

 firmly around with his right, to retain them in this compact 

 and erect position. More soil is then drawn up, or hoed up, to 

 them. 



Celery after Earthing-up. 



Blanching. — No further treatment is necessary for the self- 

 blanching sorts to blanch them for market ; yet we can greatly 

 improve their flavor by earthing them up like the common 

 varieties. Various methods are employed to blanch the crop. 

 The one, though old, but yet commonly used, is by earthing 

 up or " banking." This had best be done gradually, in two or 

 three operations. Soil is dug up from between the rows, and 

 banked up against the plants from each side, at the last 

 operation almost to the tips of the leaves, as shown in above 

 illustration. 



Blanching by means of boards is coming more and more 

 into favor with market gardeners, and well deserves recommenda- 

 tion. The plants are first " handled " in the usual way, and 

 boards lO inches wide are then set on edge against the rows 

 from each side, as illustrated on next page, and held in that 

 position by tying a string around each set of two at each end, by 

 pegs driven into the ground, by clamps, or in any other con- 

 venient way. 



