246 Gardening 
approach of freezing temperatures, more soil may be 
banked up and straw or leaves packed about and over 
the tops. Then more soil may be piled up, and a board, 
or two boards arranged as an inverted trough, placed 
over the straw. This protects from cold and keeps the 
plants dry. In sections with moderate winters the crop 
can be thus left for use as desired throughout the winter ; 
but in the more northern of the planting zones the crop 
should be stored in cool cellars, pens, or cold frames (see 
page 346). 
Blanching may also be accomplished by wrapping a 
collar of paper about each plant and tying it firmly in 
place. Newspaper may be used, but stiffer paper that 
keeps its position after rains is better. For blanching 
early crops and autumn crops that are to be stored before 
cold weather the use of paper bands is advised. Early 
crops often rot from heating if blanching with soil is 
attempted. Paper collars or bleachers, with special 
metal “ handlers ”’ that make easy the work of arranging 
them, may be bought of seed firms that deal in garden 
supplies. The use of 3-inchX12-inch drain tile for 
blanching gives excellent results, and is to be recom- 
mended for blanching the home supply of early celery. 
The method of ‘‘ new celery culture” recently used 
- consists of growing plants so crowded that they are self- 
blanched through mutual shading. The plants are set 
about 6 inches apart in rows that are only 8 inches apart. 
The soil is excessively manured; as much as 1 ton of 
well-rotted manure to the square rod is often used, and 
the plot is kept well watered continually. When thus 
“forced in the field,”’ the crop is often tender and well 
