ABOUT FRUITS, FLOWERS AND FARMING. 205 



the seed broadcast, and cover very thinly by sifting over it 

 finely pulverized mold. Beat the bed gently with the back 

 of the spade to settle the earth firmly about the seed. 

 Don't fear that the seed will be troubled by beating ; every 

 seed should have the earth pressed to it by a smart stroke of 

 the hoe, hand, spade, or by the pressure of a roller. If the 

 weather is exceedingly warm and dry, cover your seed-bed 

 with matting or old carpet, to retain the moisture. When 

 up let them be well weeded, until they are six inches high, 

 when they are to be removed to the trench for blanching. 



FIRST TRANSPLANTING. The process here detailed may be 

 wholly omitted by those who are obliged to economize time 

 and labor. But those who wish to do the very best that 

 can be done who wish to avoid spindling, weak plants, 

 and secure strong and vigorous ones transplant their 

 celery to a level bed of very rich soil, placing the plants 

 four inches apart every way. They are cultivated here for 

 about five weeks, when they will have attained a robust 

 habit, or, technically, they will have became stocky for 

 which purpose they were thus transplanted. 



CELERY TRENCHES. Dig your trenches about eighteen 

 inches wide, and one foot deep, laying a shovelful of dirt 

 alternately on each side of the trench, that it may be con- 

 veniently drawn in on both sides when you forth up. If 

 you are favored with a very deep and rich loamy soil, such 

 as often abounds in Western gardens, you will need little 

 or no manure. But usually about four inches of vegetable 

 mold and very thoroughly rotted manure, should be placed 

 in the bottom of the trench and gently spaded in. No 

 part of the culture is more critical than manuring. If the 

 soil is slow, poor, and stingy, the celery will be dwarfish, 

 tough and strong. On the other hand, if you employ new, 

 rank, fiery manure, although you will have a vigorous 

 growth, the stalks will be hollow, watery, coarse and flavor- 

 less. Let the manure be very thoroughly decayed and 

 mixed half and half with leaf or vegetable mold. 



