762 
ing matter may be obtained. Self-blanch- 
ing varieties for the early market are 
blanched entirely with boards. The bank- 
ing of celery high with earth during the 
hot summer days sometimes hurts the 
erop. Blanching with boards keeps the 
celery cleaner, but is quite expensive, 
owing to the great cost of lumber, so it 
is generally practiced only for a part of 
the early crop. Boards 12 to 14 inches 
wide by any convenient length, usually 
16 feet, are used. It takes about 20,000 
feet of lumber to blanch an acre at one 
time, but since during the warm part of 
the year the blanching will be completed 
in about three weeks, the boards may he 
used to blanch a second lot. If the 
boards are carefully piled each year so 
they will not warp and are protected 
from the weather in some way, they will 
last many years. Some use wire hooks 
to hold the boards together instead of 
using stakes. 
By far the largest part of the crop each 
year is blanched by means of earth. One 
horse is used on a celery hiller, which 
runs between the rows and throws the 
dirt against the plants. It is generally 
necessary to run this machine through 
twice in order to do a good job, and 
sometimes two horses must be used tan- 
dem to pull the hiller. Some growers 
like to finish the earthing with shovels 
or hand tools, but this adds to the ex- 
pense. The celery hiller has iron rods 
so fixed as to lift the leaves out of the 
way so they will not become covered 
with earth. About four weeks are neces- 
sary for blanching with earth in the 
field. 
For later use a great deal of celery is 
left to grow in the field as long as there 
is no danger of frost, and then removed 
to trenches for blanching. Giant Pascal 
is either blanched in this way or is partly 
blanched in the field by means of “‘paper- 
ing,” and then removed to the trenches. 
A great deal of self-blanching is also 
blanched in trenches. The celery is re- 
moved from the row, without trimming 
the roots too closely, and put into long, 
narrow trenches, so that about two-thirds 
of the plant will be below the level of 
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF PRACTICAL HORTICULTURE 
the ground. From 12 to 18 inches is as 
wide as the trenches should be made, for, 
if too large quantities are stored to- 
gether, there is danger of loss from heat- 
ing. The tops of the plants are covered 
with light material only as there is dan- 
ger of freezing. When extreme cold 
weather comes, earth must be used for 
protection. Careful watch must be kept 
to see that the celery does not spoil from 
being covered too deeply, and yet, if it is 
allowed to become frozen to any great 
extent, it will be unsalable. As soon as 
the plants are set in the trench, water 
is turned in and a thorough irrigation is 
given. This will usually furnish enough 
moisture for the crop until it is reaay 
for the market. If, as is often the case 
with Giant Pascal, the celery is not dug 
until late and is to be kept far into the 
winter, a second or a third irrigation may 
be necessary in dry seasons. 
There is a limited market for “papered” 
Giant Pascal celery. By this is meant 
the wrapping of each plant in paper dur- 
ing the latter part of the growing season. 
This work is commenced in August, and 
boys are usually hired to do it at two 
and one-half cents per dozen plants 
wrapped. Old daily papers are used, and 
one string holds the paper in place. It 
is important that this work be postponed 
until the celery is high enough so that 
the tops of the leaves will be above the 
paper after wrapping. Old papers can be 
bought for $8 or $10 per ton. As soon as 
there is danger of frost the celery is dug, 
put in trenches, and handied in the same 
way as the other; but has however the 
advantage of being cleaner and is already 
partly blanched. 
Storing 
Since the California and Florida crops 
get onto the market during the winter 
and spring, it has not been found profit- 
able in northern sections to store celery 
for any great length of time. 
Harvesting and Marketing 
Where only a small area is devoted to 
celery, the plants are usually loosened 
from the ground by means of a spade. 
The roots are cut off and the plant is 
laid to one side. Where the acreage is 
