138 



GARDENING FOR THE SOUTH. 



If there is danger that the water from the adjoining parta 

 of the garden should wash in and fill up the trenches, 

 then the celery plantation must be protected by a ditch. 

 The soil can hardly be made too rich ; therefore, incorpo- 

 rate well-decomposed stable manure with the bottom soil 

 of the trench, and intermingle it with good rich earth, so 

 as to fill up the trench about four inches, leaving it eight 

 inches deep. Add bone-dust, if you can get it, and let a 

 pint of salt be added to every fifty feet of trench, and 

 thoroughly intermingled with the soil. When celery is 

 raised on a large scale, Professor Mapes directs the follow- 

 ing composts to be put in the bottom of the trench : — One 

 half cord well-decomposed stable manure, thoroughly 

 mixed with ten gallons strong brine ; or one cord swamp- 

 muck or leaf-mould from the woods, decomposed with the 

 salt and lime mixture, well intermingled, with fifty pounds 

 Peruvian guano, ten days before use ; or one load charcoal 

 dust, two hundred pounds guano, and two bushels of com- 

 mon salt : mix the salt and guano with water, to the con- 

 sistence of cream, and thoroughly intermingle with the 

 charcoal dust. 



The last manure is much more powerful than the others, 

 and a less quantity is required. 



If the weather is not cloudy or damp when you wish to 

 transplant, saturate your nursery -bed, two or three hours 

 before planting, with water, and take up each plant with 

 a trowel, leaving a ball of earth attached. Cut off the 

 ^straggling leaves, shorten in the remainder, and remove 

 the offsets, but do not disturb the crown of the plant. 

 Transplant late in the evening, and if done with care, and 

 they are freely watered, they will hardly need shading, 

 unless it is very hot. The plants should be six inches 

 apart in the trenches. Stir the soil frequently, keep clear 

 from weeds, and water copiously in dry weather with soap- 



