178 SALAD PLANTS. 



9 



flower-pot or two, placed in the sitting-room, giving them 

 plenty of light and moisture. 



Cultivation. As soon as the young plants are three 

 inches high, prepare a small bed in the open air, and make 

 the ground rich and the earth fine. Here set out the plants 

 for a temporary growth, placing them four inches apart. 

 This should be done carefully ; and they should be gently 

 watered once, and protected for a day or two against the 

 sun. A bed ten feet long and four feet wide will contain 

 three hundred and sixty plants. 



Corbett directs that the plants should remain in this 

 nursery-bed till the beginning or middle of July, when they 

 should be removed into trenches. Make the trenches a foot 

 or fifteen inches deep, a foot wide, and not less than five 

 feet apart ; and lay the earth into the middle of the space 

 between the trenches, so that it may not be washed into 

 'them by heavy rains ; for it will, in such case, materially 

 injure the crop by covering the hearts of the plants. At the 

 bottom of the trench, put some good, rich, but well-digested 

 compost manure ; for, if too fresh, the Celery will be rank 

 and pipy, or hollow, and will not keep nearly so long or so 

 well. Dig this manure in, and make the earth fine and 

 light ; then take up the plants from the temporary bed, and 

 set them out carefully in the bottom of the trenches, six or 

 eight inches apart. 



Blanching. "When the plants begin to grow (which 

 they will quickly do), hoe on each side and between them 

 with a small hoe. As they grow up, earth their stems ; 

 that is, put the earth up against them, but not too much at 

 a time, and always when the plants are dry ; and let the 

 earth put up be finely broken, and not at all cloddy. While 

 this is being done, keep the stalks of the outside leaves close 

 up, to prevent the earth getting between the stems of the 

 outside leaves and inner ones ; for, if it gets there, it checks 

 the plant, and makes the Celery bad. When the earthing 

 is commenced, take first the edges of the trenches, working 



