CELERY 



227 



CELERY 



Apium graveolens, L. UmbellifercB, 



French, Celeri. German, Sellerie. Flemish, Selderij. Danish^ Selleri. Italian, 

 Sedano, Apio. Spanish, Apio. 



Native of Europe. — Biennial. — A plant with a fibrous, rather 

 fleshy root. Leaves divided, pinnate, smooth, with almost triangular 

 toothed leaflets, of a dark green colour ; leaf-stalks rather broad 

 furrowed, concave on the inside ; stem, which does not appear until 

 the second year, about 2 ft. high, furrowed, and branching ; flowers 

 very small, yellow or green, in umbels ; seed small, triangular, five- 

 ribbed, and having a very aromatic odour. Their germinating 

 power lasts for eight years. 



Culture. — In England Celery 

 may be had for use from the begin- 

 ning of September till late in April. 

 The ground on which it is to be 

 grown must be well drained to the 

 depth of 3 or 4 ft., and trenched 

 2 ft. deep, enriching it at the same 

 time with good stable-yard manure 

 and rotten leaves. The best way is 

 to trench and ridge the ground at 

 the same time, burying the manure 

 deeply, so as to encourage deep 

 rooting — an advantage during dry 

 weather. Some time before the 

 ground is required, level down the 

 ridges ; if the soil is heavy, fork it 

 over several times, in order to bring 

 it into good condition before form- 

 ing the trenches. The latter, for 

 tall-growing varieties, should be 6 ft. 

 apart, and for dwarfer sorts 4 ft. 

 apart. Make them 18 in. deep and 

 15 in. wide. If possible, they ought 

 to run north and south, in order 

 that the plants may have the benefit 

 of the midday sun. Tread the 

 bottom of them quite firm, and 

 place in them from 6 to 9 in. of 

 perfectly rotten manure, always pre- 

 ferring rich, well-decayed material 

 from the stable-yard. On this must 

 be placed some soot, when the 

 trenches will be ready to receive 

 the plants. By placing the manure 

 deep the roots reach it just when 



the centre leaves that are blanched 

 are coming up, and if the plants 

 are well fed at that time they form 

 large hearts, crisp, and white as 

 ivory. 



For very early Celery, pre- 

 pare some rich soil and fill a seed- 

 pan or box with the compost, firming 

 it well ; sow the seeds thinly, cover 

 them over lightly with some finely 

 sifted soil, and water through a fine- 

 rosed watering-pot, placing the pans 

 or boxes upon a shelf in the stove or 

 in a vinery at work. The seeds will 

 soon germinate, and when the young 

 plants have made two or three leaves 

 prick them off into boxes in rich 

 loamy soil with plenty of manure, 

 a portion of leaf-mould, and a 

 sprinkling of silver sand to keep the 

 compost open. Seeds for the early 

 crop ought to be sown in February, 

 and the seedlings will be ready to 

 plant out as soon as all danger from 

 frost is over. Sometimes early 

 Celery-plants are grown in 4 in. 

 pots where pits or houses are at 

 command, and thus treated they 

 sustain no check when planted in 

 the trenches and well watered. 



A second sowing may be made 

 about the middle of March, either 

 in boxes in a warm house or pit, or 

 a slight hot-bed on which are put 

 6 in. of fine, rich soil made pretty 



