658 



PRACTICE OF GARDENING. 



Part IIL 



of the roots, which are very strong, are cut away ; and the root is put in cold water, or 

 the lire, not in water previously boiling." 

 3999. Varieties. These are — 



The common upright Italian I The tumip-rooted, or celeriac, the cele- longer in spring. It is grovrn to a 



The large hollow upright ri-rave, of the French, and the kiwtt- large size in the neighborhood of 



The soM-stalked upright ceHerie, of the Germans. This is hardier Hamburgh, and sometimes imported 



The large red-stalked upright | than the other kinds, and will contmue for the London market. 



4000. Estimate of soi-ts. The first three sorts are preforable for general culture. The red variety is 

 rather coarse for salads, but it is hardy to stand the winter, and well adapted for soups and stews. ^ The 

 turnip-rooted is cultivated on account of its root, which is fit for use in September and October, and may 

 be preserved in sand through the winter. 



4001. Propagatioji. All the sorts are rai&cd from seed ; and half an ounce is reckoned 

 sufficient for a seed-bed four feet and a half wide by ten feet in length, of the upright 

 sorts ; but for celeriac, a quarter of an ounce will be enough for a bed four feet 

 square. 



4002. Soil. Celery delights in a soil rather moist, rich in vegetable mould, but not 

 rank from new unrotted dung. 



4003. Times of soiviiig. The most forward crop is slightly forced : any of the 

 varieties may be sown in the spring, in the open garden, at two or three different times, 

 from the 21st of March till the first week in May; but the principal sowing should be 

 made in the first fortnight of April. 



4004. Earlj/ crop. ■ " For early summer and autumn celery : sow a sm.all portion towards the end of 

 February, in 'a moderate hot-bed. When the young plants are about two inches high, prick out some 

 into a warm border, two or three inches apart, or rather into a second slight hot-bed, if before the 21st of 

 March, as well to protect the plants as to expedite their growth for final planting. As soon as the leaves 

 are six inches high, in May or June, transplant them into trenches for blanching, as directed below for 

 the main crops, but as these early-sown plants wiU not continue long in full growth, before many of them 

 will pipe or run, you should plant only a moderate crop, for a temporary supply : when they are advanced 

 in the trenches from eight to twelve inches in growth, begin to earth them up several inches on both sides 

 each row ; continue earthing up by degrees as they rise higher, till they are whitened from six to twelve 

 inches in length ; when they may be digged up as wanted." 



4005. Main crops. " To raise the main crops for summer, autumn, and winter, 

 make a considerable sowing at the commencement of April. Sow in beds of light mellow 

 earth, and rake in the seed lightly and regularly. In very dry weather, give moderate 

 watering both before and after the plants come up. When they are two, three, or four 

 inches high, thin the seed-bed, and prick out a quantity at successive times into inter- 

 m.ediate beds, three or four inches asunder. Water those removed, and till they have 

 struck." 



4006. Judd sows about the middle of January in a warm situation, on very rich ground, protecting it by 

 mats at night. When the plants are from two to three inches high, he pricks out into a nursery-bed, 

 immersing the plants, as he draws them, in water, so as they may remain moist while out of ground. 

 The plants remain in the nursery-bed till they become "very strong." {Ilort. Trans, vol. ii.) 



4007. Walker, a gardener, near Manchester, grows the red celery ; sows for the early crop about the 

 1st of March, and for the late crop about the 1st of April. "The seed-bed is formed of fresh, dark, 

 loamy soil, mixed with old rotten dung, half and half, and placed on a hot-bed. The nursery or 

 ** transplanting bed is formed with old hot-bed dung, very well broken, laid six or seven inches thick, on 

 a piece of ground which has lain some time undisturbed, or has been made hard by compression. The 

 situation should be sunny. The plants are- set six inches apart in the dung, without soil, and covered with 

 hand-glasses. They are watered well when planted, and frequently afterwards. By hardening the soil 

 under the dung in which the plants are set, the root is formed into a brush of fibres ; and by thus pre- 

 venting the pushing of a tap-root, the plant never runs to seed before the following spring." {Caled. Ilort, 

 Mem. vol. ii.) 



4008. Transplanting into trenches. " When either the plants left in the seed-bed, or 

 those removed, are from six to twelve inches high, or when the latter have acquired a 

 stocky growth, by four or five weeks' nurture in the intermediate bed, transplant them 

 into trenches for blanching. For this purpose allot an open compartment. Mark out 

 the trenches a foot wide, and from three feet to three and a half distance ; dig out 

 each ti%nch lengthwise, a spade in mdth, and a light spit deep, that is, six or eight 

 inches. Lay the excavated earth smoothly in the intervals, making the edges of the 

 trenches equally full and straight ; also loosen the bottom moderately, in a level order, to 

 receive the plants. Before inserting them, it would essentially strengthen the soil to 

 apply some good rotten dung in each trench two or three inches thick, and let it be 

 digged in at the bottom regularly, a moderate depth. Then having lifted the plants, just 

 trim any long straggling tops of the leaves and fibres of the roots ; also slip off side 

 shoots ; plant a single row along the bottom of each trench, four or five inches apart. 

 Give a good watering directly ; and occasionally after, if the weather be dry, till the 

 l>lants take root and show a renewed growth. Continue planting out a monthly succes- 

 sion in June, July, August, and September ; thus providing for a supply from July and 

 August of the present summer throughout the course of autumn and winter, till May in 

 the following spring." 



4009. Jiidd prepares his ground for transplanting, by trenching it two spades deep, mixing with it in the 

 operation a good dressing of well reduced dung from the old forcing-beds. He says, " I give it a second 

 trenching, that the dung may be the better incorporated with the mould, and then leave it in as rough a 

 state as possible, tiU my plants are ready to be put out. In the ground thus prepared, I form trenches 

 iweaty inches v/ide, and six inches deep, at six feet distance from each other, measuring from the centre 



