242 



VEGETABLES OR FOOD CROPS 



Blanching of the stems or leaf-stalks is encouraged by growing them 

 in darkness. The usual method of effecting this is to draw up the 



soil to the plants at intervals 

 as they grow, the leaves 

 being meantime loosely tied 

 or 'held together by means 

 of boards placed tempor- 

 arily against them. A good 

 method of earthing up 

 Celery for blanching is to 

 take a piece of large bamboo 

 18 in. long, and slit it in 

 two ; having pointed the 

 ends, drive these into the 

 earth, one close on either 

 side of the plant ; the 

 latter thus encompassed by 

 the bamboo is earthed up, 

 the bamboo being after- 

 wards removed. Celery 

 takes about 4 to 5 months, 

 from the time of sowing to 

 be ready for use. 



F,4tf/77S.-Amongst 

 the best are "Wright's Giant 

 Grove," "Cole's Solid Red,'" 

 "Golden Yellow," and 

 11 Mammoth White." 



CELERY. Apium gravcolens. 



Cho-cho ; Cayote, or Chayote. (Sechium edule. N. O. Cucur- 

 bitaceae). A perennial robust creeper, with leaves like those of the 

 Cucumber, native of the West Indies, whence it was introduced to 

 Hakgala Gardens, Ceylon, in 1884. It is said to be much grown 

 at the higher elevations in the West Indies, South America, and 

 also in the Mediterranean region, being known in the latter 

 country by the name " Chayote." The plant has become thoroughly 

 established in Ceylon, especially in the hill districts, and thrives 

 from 1,500 ft. upw r ards. It is propagated by the fruit which is. 

 one-seeded, and this must be planted in situ, in mounds of \vell- 

 manured soil. It requires natural or artificial supports for the vines to 

 grow over, and thrives up-country without shade, but is benefited by 

 light shade at lower elevations. The pear-shaped, pale-green 



