198 GARDEN PROFITS 



your fist or a brick. Be careful that you do not 

 scratch the stalk in any way; scratches make dark, 

 rusty spots on the stems and can be easily avoided 

 with a little care. Also keep any stones from coming 

 in contact with the stalks, as they also will scratch. 

 Never hill your celery when it is wet, or in the morn- 

 ing when the dew is still on the plants, as the mois- 

 ture will soon start decay. 



Keep the Celery Growing. Keep celery well 

 watered at all times. Lack of water makes strings; 

 good, quick growth makes celery that cracks in one's 

 hand "like a pipe-stem." An occasional watering 

 with liquid manure will keep the plants growing fast. 

 Use a half-bushel of manure (cow manure is pref- 

 erable) to a barrel of water, letting it stand for 

 forty-eight hours before using. Then thin it down 

 to about one half strength. A dose of nitrate of 

 soda is also beneficial. Use a 6-inch flower pot of 

 soda to a barrel of water, and apply as soon as 

 dissolved. 



Seeds for Present Sowing. Sow bush beans twice 

 during the month once on the first, and again 

 on the 1 5th. Put in several rows at each sowing, 

 and place the rows about fifteen inches apart, so 

 that it will be easy to protect them from the 

 frost later on, for which purpose start collecting 

 old burlap and covering material now. 



Make the final sowings of beets and carrots about 

 August i to 10, for a winter supply. Be sure 

 you put in enough seed. I have found that by 

 sowing at this time the vegetables are of good size 

 and excellent quality when harvested. I use 



