ox REARING KITCHEX VEGETABLES. 



67 



six inclies high, must be planted six inches apart, taking- 

 care to remove all side shoots, if there be any, but none of 

 the leaves, though it is better to deprive the leaves of their 

 tops, as too great a surface of leaves would weaken and 

 injure, perhaps destroy, the plants, by depriving them of 

 too much moisture. A few laurel, or other evergreen 

 branches, will be of great advantage to the plants, if 

 placed over the trenches in the heat of the day, till they 

 become established, as these will assist in keeping the soil 

 moist, and also tend to prevent that excessive evaporation 

 from the plants, so unavoidably attendant on the season at 

 which they are planted. 



A large supply of water is indispensable at this period 

 of their growth, and they should be liberally furnished 

 WLth it every night. If slightly impregnated with manure, 

 it will be beneficial. 



As blanching depends on excluduig the light, the earth 

 must be laid up in dry weather to the stems of the plants, 

 taking care not to choke the hearts ; a little may be added 

 every week or ten days, as the crop advances, always 

 leaving about six inches of the leaves above the surface of 

 the soiL 



In earthing up celery, the soil used for this purpose 

 should be broken very fine, and having been prepared 

 with the spade, and placed along the edge of each row, 

 the leaves of each plant should be collected together in 

 one hand, while with the other the soil should be placed 

 carefully about them. This process may appear trouble- 

 some, but it is absolutely necessary to prevent the soil 

 from falling into the hearts of the plants, which either rots 

 them, or checks the growth of the heart, and renders it 

 useless. 



Some gardeners use fine coal-ashes for blanching celery, 

 and where these can be procured, they are certainly pre- 

 ferable to soil, as they will not retain so much moisture, 

 and the plants will be less liable to rot. 



The deep trenches formerly used, keep the roots too 

 much from the air, and the late September plantings 

 should be placed in very shallow trenches. There is a 

 system of planting celery in beds of four or five feet in 

 width, and placing the plants in cross rows, a foot apart; 



