Proceedings of the Farmers' Club. 529 



The methods in general use of preparing certain kinds of vegeta- 

 bles for market are expensive and laborious to the producer. "While 

 talking on this subject a few days ago, a market gardener told me 

 that it was more trouble to prepare for, and market some kind of 

 " truck " than it was to grow them, and named celery as an instance. 

 The bulk of this crop is sold during the winter months, and gar- 

 deners spend nearly all their time, from the middle of December, 

 until the middle of March preparing celery for market. 



In the latter part of November, the celery is dug and placed in 

 trenches, where it is bleached and protected from frost. Bleaching 

 is sometimes hastened by pouring warm water into the trenches on a 

 mild day, and then replacing the hay, straw, or hog manure on top 

 of the trench. 



When the heart of the celery is sufficiently bleached and the 

 demand is good, the stalks are taken in winter from the trench to the 

 market house. This building is provided with a stove, boijers for 

 heating water, and a large wash tub and two tables arranged on 

 either side of the tub. The stalks are then trimmed, which consists 

 of taking off some of the outside leaves so as to expose the heart. 

 The root is then shrived off with a long bladed knife, leaving four 

 flat sides tapering a little toward the end of the root. The operator 

 then cuts a narrow circular groove about the same position on each, 

 root to facilitate tying. 



The stalks, which were sorted at the time of trimming, and then 

 placed in the wash tub, and with plenty of warm water and a scrub- 

 bing brush the celery is thoroughly cleansed, and placed on the table 

 for bunching. This latter operation requires the most skill and 

 practice, and a gardener who is expert at bundling celery can always, 

 command higher wages on that account. 



The bass matting or twine is cut the proper length, and fastened 

 in a convenient place near the person bunching, who stands in front 

 of the table. Three or four stalks are selected for each bunch, 

 according to the size of the celery. These stalks are arranged to 

 the best advantage, and the roots of all are tied closely together, by 

 making a single knot around each, except the last, which has a 

 double or fastening knot, care being taken to have the outside stalks 

 trimmed nearly alike, so as to make the bunch lined shaped. The 

 tops and all the small stocks are made into round bunches, and sold 

 to the Germans, at a low price, for soup celery. 



[Inst.] 34 



