184 MAKING HORTICULTURE PAY 



" My last crop of winter celery," writes Solon P. 

 Powell of Hancock county, Ohio, *' yielded about 

 1,200 dozen to the acre, and sold in the local market 

 for 30 cents a dozen. The stalks are put up in 

 bunches of 12 each and delivered to the grocers in 

 our town, where there is no market house. Gen- 

 erally the crop is finished by January 15. Early 

 celery is taken direct from the field and the winter 

 crop is first trenched until ready for use. 



" Winter celery is stored in earth trenches and 

 in cellars where there is no danger of freezing. 

 Earth is used out of doors and straw in the cellar. 

 All the culls are sold, the demand is so great. The 

 trimmings are fed to cows and chickens. Butter 

 needs no coloring matter when cows eat celery 

 leaves when fed green, as trimmed." 



" We have secured 2,400 dozen salable heads to 

 the acre, but usually count upon 2,000 dozen," says 

 B. B. Overhiser. " These we ship by express, re- 

 tail at 35 cents, or wholesale for 28 cents. In car- 

 load lots we sell at 20 cents a dozen. Our boxes 

 hold six to 12 dozen. Most of our celery is mar- 

 keted by November 15, but frequently we hold 

 some in storage for Thanksgiving. For winter use 

 we put the stalks in cold frames, bank with earth, 

 and cover to keep out the frost. We usually re- 

 quire about 5 pounds of seed, which costs about $2 

 a pound. Most of our surplus young plants are 

 sold in March." 



"Among the varieties I like the White Plume 

 for early," writes Frank S. Wells of Michigan. " The 

 plants grow rapidly and are easily blanched. In 

 the fall the stalks and leaves become white without 

 earthing up, but they are improved by banking. 

 The variety does not keep as well as some other 

 kinds, however. 



