CHAPTER XVI 



The Production of Celery Seed 



Localities Where Grown. The greater portion of 

 the world's supply of celery seed is grown in 

 southern Europe and on the Pacific coast of the 

 United States. A portion of the seed sold as French 

 grown is produced in Algeria, but the greater part 

 of it comes from Italy, where the cost of production 

 is low. In America celery seed has been produced 

 in several localities aside from the Pacific coast, es- 

 pecially in New Jersey, Delaware, Pennsylvania, 

 and New York. 



Method of Growing. The principle of celery seed 

 production is to sow seed during the latter part of 

 the season in long narrow beds the surface of which 

 is a trifle below the general level of the surrounding 

 soil. As a rule these beds are 14 to 20 inches in 

 width, and ample spaces left between them. The 

 seedlings are allowed to grow in the beds during 

 the autumn, and as winter approaches a light cov- 

 ering is provided to prevent the roots becoming 

 frozen. As soon as the season opens in the spring, 

 the plants are lifted and reset 6 or 7 inches apart 

 in long parallel rows where they will produce seed 

 during the early summer. 



Local Production of Seed. Any celery grower 

 can produce seed on a small scale by making a late 



132 



