GENERAL TREATMENT 89 



ing of clear water should the weather be dry being 

 given between, so that the total waterings will be given 

 once a week. Should this be done properly, and no 

 check have been previously suffered, these early plants 

 will grow freely and not run up to flower stems, as so 

 frequently happens to all early-raised biennials. 



For these exhibition plants I advocate paper bands or 

 celery collars, but not till the plants are well grown and 

 the first good earthing given. The soil for this lot, if it 

 can be obtained, should be of a light sandy nature, for the 

 more it borders on clay the more undesirable it is. Cut 

 slips of brown paper, and lightly bandaging with them 

 not too high up, tie loosely with matting or raffia grass. 

 Then carefully earth up to the height of the paper, 

 pressing the soil firmly around each plant. In three weeks 

 from the first the second earthing can be given, and this 

 time another strip of paper and raffia grass applied, so as 

 just to hold the leaves together. With a rather bluntly- 

 pointed old rake, hoe, or broom handle make holes 

 diagonally a few inches deep near the base of the trench, 

 and into these holes pour some water, but be sure not to 

 water over the tops of the plants. After this trench- 

 watering throw some earth over it, and bank it to the 

 -sides where the holes were made. If this is done well 

 no other watering will be needed. When the plants are 

 well blanched, which will be about a month after the 

 last earthing, they may be dug up as required, though 

 even this requires great care. Remove the soil well 

 away at one end, and carefully with a spade (not a fork) 

 raise each plant. Take the plants to the shed, or some- 

 where where they can be kept from the sun, and till the 

 morning of the show do not remove a leaf or outer 

 stalk, and the roots must not be over-trimmed till then. 

 Should it be necessary to wash the celery, though I 

 think it best never to do so when thus grown, carefully 

 remove just an outside stalk or so, then with a soft 



