THE KITCHEN GARDEN. 



207 



other. A good root-watering given immediately 

 afterwards will be very beneficial. At intervals of 

 about three weeks loosen the soil on both sides of the 

 trenches with a fork, break it up fine, and with a 

 spade push it down to, against, and aroimd the plants. 

 Follow with the trowel as before advised. At each 

 earthing up, from this time onward, place about 

 four inches in depth of soil against and around the 

 plants, taking care to keep the leaves straight, and 

 to give room for the growth of the young leaves 

 at the hearts, else will the centres be doubled down, 

 and the sticks forir the crooked shape known as. 

 "seated." Some, towever, prefer earthing up the 

 plants all at once instead 

 of progressively, and ex- 

 cellent Celery is grown 

 on this method. 



At the last earthing 

 up, there will be needed 

 about six inches or more 

 depth of soil ; after this 

 has been neatly placed 

 around the apices of the 

 plants, again go along 

 each row, and draw the 

 surface soil tightly lip to 

 and around the leaves, 

 pressing it so firmly that 

 air cannot enter down- 

 wards to the hearts. 

 Without this precaution, 

 the blanching process 

 will be long and tedious. 

 Each successional batch 

 must be treated similarly 

 to above in regard to the 

 earthing-up process ; the 

 final earthing up to be 

 done about one month before any are required for 

 use. At the approach of winter place a little addi- 

 tional soil against the sides of all late small trenches, 

 and should severe frost follow, it is well to place a 

 row of stable litter or straw along the tops of the 

 mounds, so as to be a protection to the leaves, and to 

 deter the frost from travelling downwards to the 

 injury of the hearts. 



The Celery-fly {Tephritis onopordinis) has been ex- 

 tremely injurious to this crop of late years. Asa 

 preventive, it is well to sprinkle a little soot over 

 the leaves occasionally when they are covered with 

 dew in the months of June and July, that being the 

 usual time when the fly deposits the eggs which give 

 birth to the maggots within the leaves. Later, and 

 ■whpfi J;he maggot appears, little good can be done, 

 though some have resort to picking off the injured 

 AH symptoms of it should, however, be 



removed and burned when the crop is taken up for 

 use, as the progeny are known to hybemate around 

 if not destroyed. 



The varieties usually cultivated consist of both 

 red and white examples. The white is best adapted 

 for the earliest cropping, being somewhat more 

 amenable to summer culture and blanching. Bibby'a 

 Deflauce and Pengelly White, Clarke's Defiance, 

 Leicester Eed, and Clayworth Prize Pink varieties, 

 are all good. 



Celeriae (Turnip-rooted Celery). French, Celeri- 

 rave ; German, KnoUselkrie. — This variety of Celery, 

 which forms an enlarged 

 root-base on the surface 

 of the ground, requires 

 no earthing up. Sow 

 and treat precisely as for 

 Celery until the final 

 planting out. Then pre- 

 pare a bed of soil deep 

 and well enriched with 

 manure, and plant the 

 plants out therein at dis- 

 tances of about fifteen 

 inches apart. Hoe 

 amongst them as neces- 

 sary during the summer 

 to keep them free from 

 weeds, and water freely 

 during all dry-weather 

 periods. The crop is fit 

 for use during September 

 and October, and must 

 be protected from frosts, 

 when they occur, should 

 a portion remain unused 

 until then. 

 Cucumber. — This favourite vegetable and salad 

 is reserved for separate treatment. 



Tjgg-plaut (Solcmum Melongena). French, Auher- 

 gine ; German, Eierpflanze ; Spanish, Bermgena. — As 

 the Tomato is so gaining in popularity, the Egg- 

 plant, similarly a fruiting plant, and somewhat 

 identical in the matter of use, is not unlikely to have 

 increased demand, being so generally grown across 

 the Channel. A native of Africa, it is nevertheless 

 moderately hardy. Seeds sown during March and 

 April, and potted on as needful until about a sixteen- 

 size pot has been reached, will insure their fruiting 

 pretty freely therein. In like manner, plants grown 

 upon a hot-bed within a frame, which should be 

 entirely removed during the months of June and 

 July, prove successful. Young plants potted off 

 singly into small pots, .transplanted against a warm 



