CELERY CULTURE 



rains. Where the plain, flat shoe marker is 

 used, it may be necessary to employ a dibble for 

 making the holes in which to set the plants, but 

 with the wheel marker as shown in Fig. 9 the work 



of planting may be 

 done entirely by the 

 hands. For illus- 

 trations of differ- 

 ent types of dibbles 

 see Fig. 21. Setting 

 celery plants in the 

 field is slow work 



and forms one of 

 the chief items of 



FIG. 21 DIBBLES FOR USE IN SETTING 

 CELERY PLANTS 



expense in grow- 

 ing the crop. Transplanting machines are not 

 practical for setting celery as the plants cannot 

 be handled rapidly enough. The cost of setting an 

 acre of celery varies with the condition of both soil 

 and plants, planting distances, and efficiency of 

 labor, but will not be less than $15 or more than 

 $25. 



Distances to Plant. The planting distances must 

 necessarily be governed by the method of blanch- 

 ing to be employed, and by the fertility of the soil. 

 The principal methods of setting are single row, 

 double row, and solid beds. The single and double 

 row plantings can be blanched either with boards 

 or by banking with earth, the alleys being made 

 wider for blanching with earth. By the solid bed 

 method the blanching is performed by shoveling 

 earth between the plants, or if a heavy growth be 



