34 INTENSIVE FARMING 



ditions which preclude the use of earth in 

 blanching the crop for market. 



For the most part the early crop of the North 

 is blanched with boards or paper, as earth can 

 not be successfully used during the heated por- 

 tion of the year. If earth is used great care 

 and caution are required on the part of the 

 grower. The late crop at the North, whether 

 standard or dwarf sorts are used, is always 

 blanched with earth. In Florida the entire crop 

 is blanched either by means of boards or paper. 

 Besides the advantages already mentioned a 

 greater number of stalks can be grown per acre 

 when dwarf sorts are used than when standard 

 green varieties are used. Blanching with boards 

 or paper permits the rows to be placed at about 

 one-half the distance required when earth is 

 used for blanching; this also increases the in- 

 tensity of the crop. Celery is sold by the dozen 

 bunches. The profit per acre depends, there- 

 fore, not only upon the price per dozen but up- 

 on the number of dozens produced. 



During recent years the hotel and dining 

 car trade has been demanding small celery. The 

 small heart stalks are most desirable and this 

 has tended to stimulate close planting and the 

 use of dwarf sorts. These demands of the 

 trade will ever tend to keep the celery industry 



