2O2 



GARDEN FARMING 



sledlike scraper, which is operated in essentially the same way as 

 the asparagus hiller shown in figure 36, page 117. It works on 

 both sides of a single row instead of between two rows, and is 

 therefore more effective. 



Blanching. Blanched celery is the result of growing plants away 

 from the light. In blanching the leafstalks only are covered. This 

 permits the leaves to grow normally, but the development of chlo- 

 rophyll in the stalks is hindered because this substance cannot be 



formed in the absence of 



light. Any material or de- 

 vice, therefore, which ex- 

 cludes light, and which can 

 be arranged about or close 

 to the stalks of the plants, 

 can be used for blanching 

 celery. In large commer- 

 cial fields boards, paper, 

 and earth are the principal 

 means used for this purpose. 

 Blanching with boards. 

 Practically all the early 

 crop of celery at the North 

 and the Florida product 

 are blanched by means of 

 boards. For this purpose 

 pine or cypress lumber 12 

 inches wide, I inch thick, 

 and 1 6 or 20 feet long is 

 used. The boards are placed flat on the ground on both sides of 

 the row of plants to be blanched, with the edges close to the base 

 of the plants. Two men, one at each end, tip the boards up against 

 the plants by taking hold of the outer edges. In raising the boards 

 the outer spreading leaves of the plant are lifted and confined. 

 The plants are inclosed between the boards (as shown in figures 

 74 and^s), which are held in place by wooden or wire yokes 

 made for the purpose. 



The quality of celery blanched in this way is not so good as that 

 blanched with earth. The varieties usually grown as early celery, 



FIG. 75. Celery plants confined between 

 boards, for blanching 



