CULTURAL DIRECTIONS 325 



changes cause the condensation of moisture on the 

 plants. This should be avoided. The house, which has 

 been very satisfactory, will hold about $2,000 worth of 

 celery. It cost about $2,700." 



The city cold storage houses are used extensively for 

 the care of the crop until celery from Florida and Cali- 

 fornia begins to arrive. The crates, which are packed in 

 the rough in the field, are placed, without further atten- 

 tion, in cold storage rooms, with provision made for the 

 necessary air spaces between the crates. This is a con- 

 venient method for the grower, but the quality of cold 

 storage celery is always inferior to that which has been 

 held on the farm under more natural conditions. 



415. Returns. Small areas of celery sometimes pro- 

 duce at the rate of $2,000 gross returns an acre. While 

 this is unusual, it shows the great possibilities of this 

 crop. Market gardeners who irrigate frequently secure 

 gross incomes of $1,200 an acre. When total receipts on 

 a large scale amount to $800 an acre it is considered ex- 

 cellent, while $500 is more common perhaps. The cost 

 of producing and marketing an acre of celery varies 

 greatly. Beattie ("Celery Culture," p. 130) gives the 

 following estimate : 



Rental of land or interest on investment. . . $20 to $60 

 Ten days' team work, including hauling 



manure 30 to 50 



Fifty cubic yards of barnyard manure 25 to 50 



Commercial fertilizers 50 to loo 



Seed and production of plants 10 to 25 



Setting out plants 15 to 25 



Cultivation and irrigation 15 to 25 



Loss on lumber used in blanching 10 to 20 



Cost of 350 crates and packing 60 to 100 



Total $235 to $455 



