CELERY. 115 



put in while the earth is in that state of moisture imme- 

 diately following plowing. It is best sown in rows, a 

 quarter of an inch deep and ten inches apart, and dis- 

 tributed thinly. If the weather is damp the seed should 

 not be covered ; if dry, the bed should be gently patted 

 with a piece of board, to solidify the soil and hasten ger- 

 mination. If sown in beds broadcast, the seed should 

 be mixed with dry sand in the ratio of one to five, facili- 

 tating evenness of distribution. Transplant when three 

 inches high. When in rows, as soon as the young plants 

 appear, cultivate between the rows with a narrow garden 

 rake at least twice a week, weeds or no weeds. When 

 well established, the plants should be thinned to one or 

 two inches, or all taken up and transplanted in rows ten 

 inches apart, two inches between the plants. 



The ground, having been heavily manured in the 

 spring for early crops of cabbages and other vegetables, 

 still contains a large percentage of plant food, which is 

 available for celery at the time of transplanting. In 

 gardens in the highest state of cultivation an extra ma- 

 nuring is not necessary, for, although celery is a rank 

 feeder, there is generally enough fertilizing matter left 

 from the preceding manuring to grow the crop. When 

 the celery field is plowed and harrowed thorougly, the 

 rows should be marked out ; for the large kinds five feet 

 apart, for the dwarf three feet, and for that portion of 

 the crop which is to be stored in trenches for winter use, 

 distances are narrowed about a foot, as this celery will 

 not be earthed up. 



In small fields the rows are best made by stretching 

 a cord across the field. A stick is then drawn along the 

 line to mark the row, or, if the ground is in nice order, 

 the line may be patted with a spade, the impression of 

 the line being left in the soil. On large fields the mark- 

 ing out is best done with a horse marker or sled. A 

 marker can be made to draw three rows at a time, teeth 



