142 THE BOOK OF NATURE STUDY 



transplanted to V-shaped trenches, eight inches deep and two 

 feet apart. The plants should be one foot apart. They should 

 be lightly watered from time to time, and when firmly rooted 

 and grown sufficiently to appear well above the surface of the 

 ground, the trenches should be carefully filled in. As the plants 

 continue to grow in height the earth should be ridged round 

 them. The object of this treatment is obviously similar to that 

 adopted in the case of Celery, and aims at the production of well 

 blanched tender bulbs. Musselburgh is the best variety. 



The Shallot is a perennial. Some of the lateral buds produce 

 shoots which form small buds, and a bed of Shallots therefore 

 shows a series of groups of bulbs arranged circularly round the 

 main bulb. It is these smaller bulbs called " cloves " which are 

 usually employed for "seed," though the Shallot may also, of 

 course, be propagated from true seed. The " cloves " are planted 

 in drills in March, the drills being one foot apart and the cloves 

 at six inches in the drills. Gather and dry in September as in the 

 case of Onions. 



CELERY (Apium graveolens) 



In order that the stems of this plant may be fit for consumption 

 it is essential that they should be as free as possible from woody 

 fibre and be well blanched. This object is secured by planting in 

 trenches and subsequently earthing up at intervals as the plants 

 develop. A soil rich in farmyard manure is essential. The 

 seeds are sown in March in rich soil and transplanted to the 

 trenches in July, at a distance apart of nine to twelve inches. 

 The trenches are prepared by taking out the soil to a depth of 

 fifteen inches by fifteen inches in width. A heavy dressing of 

 well rotted manure is then dug into the bottom of the trench 

 and thoroughly mixed with the soil. On the top of this is spread 

 some of the soil removed from the trench to a depth of about 

 three inches, and in this soil the young plants are carefully set. 

 As the plants grow in height they are earthed up from time to 

 time, and particular attention must be given to watering at the 

 roots ; neither water nor soil should be allowed to get between 

 the stems. They are dug up as required during the winter. A 

 good variety is Incomparable White. 



