VEGETABLES — DESCRIPTION AND CULTURE. 207 



although we always have a few bunches exposed for sale 

 in August and September, there is not one root sold then 

 for a thousand that are sold in October and November. 

 Celery is always grown as a " second crop" by us, that is, 

 it follows after the spring crop of Beets, Onions, Cabbage, 

 Cauliflower, or Peas, which are cleared off and marketed, 

 at latest, by the middle of July ; the ground is then thor- 

 oughly plowed and harrowed. No additional manure is 

 used, as enough remains in the ground from the heavy 

 coat it has received in the spring, to carry through the 

 crop of Celery. After the ground has been nicely pre- 

 pared, lines are struck out on the level surface, three feet 

 apart, and the plants set six inches apart in the rows. If 

 the weather is dry at the time of planting, great care 

 should be taken that the roots are properly " firmed." 

 Our custom is, to turn back on the row, and press by the 

 side of each plant gently with the foot. This compacts 

 the soil and partially excludes the air from the root until 

 new rootlets are formed, which will usually be in forty- 

 eight hours, after which all danger is over. This practice 

 of pressing the soil closely around the roots is essential in 

 planting of all kinds, and millions of plants are annually 

 destroyed by its omission. After the planting of the 

 Celery is completed, nothing further is to be done for six 

 or seven weeks, except running through between the rows 

 with the cultivator or hoe, and freeing the plants of weeds 

 until they get strong enough to crowd them down. This 

 will bring us to about the middle of August, by which 

 time we usually have that moist and cool atmosphere 

 essential to the growth of Celery. Then we begin the 

 " earthing up," necessary for blanching or whitening that 

 which is wanted for use during the months of September, 

 October, and November. The first operation is that of 

 " handling," as we term it, that is, after the soil has been 

 drawn up against the plant with the hoe, it is further drawn 

 close around each plant by the hand, firm enough to keep 



