VEGETABLES CELERY. 175 



ers the seed to the average depth of something less than 

 half an inch. After this, the bed is still further firmed 

 and levelled by being rolled, or in small areas evenly 

 patted down with the back of a spade. 



As soon as the seeds of Celery begin to germinate, so 

 that the rows can be traced, hoe lightly between the rows, 

 and begin to pnll out the weeds as soon as they can be 

 seen. One day's work, at the proper time, will be better 

 than a dozen after the seed-bed gets enveloped with 

 weeds, besides insuring much finer plants. 



As the plants advance in growth, the tops are shorn 

 off, generally twice before the time of setting out, so as 

 to induce a stooky growth ; plants thus, treated suffer less 

 on being transplanted. This plan of shearing off the 

 tops we practice with Cabbage, Cauliflower and many 

 other kinds of plants to induce stocky growth. 



The time of planting out in the Northern States may 

 run from June 15th to the end of July, and in the South- 

 ern States from August 15th to the end of September. 

 In this section, we prefer to plant in July, as there is but 

 little gained by attempting it early. In fact, I have 

 often seen plants raised in hot-beds and planted out in 

 June, far surpassed both in size and quality by those 

 raised in the open ground and planted a month later. 

 The great difficulty experienced in the Southern States 

 is, in raising the plants ; for, if sown, in March or April, 

 as we do here, the high temperature and dry atmosphere 

 either kill the plants outright, or so shrivel them up that 

 they never start to make a free growth. 



By sowing about the middle of August in extreme 

 Southern States, shading with the protecting cloth 

 sashes, already referred to, in hot days from 9 A. M. to 

 4 p. M., and planting out the end of September, a 

 fair crop of Celery may be obtained in the late fall and 

 early winter months. The plants are sometimes spe- 

 cially grown at the North for planting at the South, but 



