134 Salad Crops 



commercial growers think it best to have the lumber 

 dressed on both sides. In the boarding system the rows 

 may be put only far enough apart to allow of good horse 

 tillage, say from 2 to 3 feet. 



Paper is sometimes employed rather than boards. Rolls 

 of building paper are sawn across to make strips one foot 

 wide. The strip is then unrolled against the row and 

 held in place by means of stakes. Good paper well taken 

 care of should last for two or three crops. 



A different use of paper is to wrap and tie each plant 

 in stiff strong manila or similar stock. Of course this is 

 adapted only to small areas. Large tiles are sometimes 

 set on the plants for the same purpose. 



Blanching hy earth usually gives a somewhat better 

 quality of celery; but this method is expensive and it can- 

 not be employed so well in midsummer, since the plants 

 are more likely to rot at the heart. Usually two or three 

 " handlings " or bankings are given. When the plants 



have spread so 

 much as to make a 

 crown or head a 

 foot or eighteen 

 inches across, the 

 celery is "handled'" 

 by gathering the 

 „ „ , leaves in the hand 



61. Celery plow. 



and holding them 

 whilst earth is shoveled against the plant so as to cover it 

 two-thirds or more of its height. In ten days or two weeke 

 the " handling " is repeated. In late years the banking of 

 celery, particularly in large areas, is performed by 



