136 



Salad Crops 



Marketing ; storing. 



For market, celery is prepared by being thoroughly 

 washed and usually scrubbed, so that all earth and sand 

 are removed. The outside leaves are removed and usually 

 the root is trimmed away, leaving a pointed base to the 

 whole cluster, although the shape of the trimmed product 

 differs between places. A few plants (3 to 8) are tied 

 together to form attractive bunches. These plants are then 

 shipped in crates or boxes, the style of box and the num- 

 ber to be packed in each depending largely on the market 

 in which one sells. For high-class local markets the 

 product is sometimes handled in attractive paper-lined 

 baskets and hampers (Fig. 237). In all careful market- 

 ing the celery should be closely graded. The plant lends 

 itself to such assortment. 



The celery may be lifted from the field by means of a 

 spade or shovel. In large plantations the plants are 

 plowed out or removed by horse or power implements made 

 for the purpose. 



There are two or three methods of storing celery. Stor- 

 ing in outside cellars or pits is sometimes practiced. 

 The early winter and midwinter celery, however, is usually 

 stored in special celery houses, which are permanent sheds 

 with windows at intervals along the roof, to supply light 

 enough for the workmen. Wooden chimneys are pro- 

 vided to afford ventilation. These houses are sometimes 

 supplied with heat by means of stoves, so that the tem- 

 perature does not fall much, if any, below the freezing 

 point. In beds in these houses the celery plants are set 

 close together and the blanching proceeds during storage. 

 Any celery house must be kept cool and moist. To avoid 



