38 



CELERY CULTURE 



times. The cut-a-way is then followed by the smoother, Acme 

 harrow and roller, and the ground worked until the manure is well 

 mixed with the soil and the ground free from lumps, and in fine 

 mechanical condition. The field is then plowed, and the other side 

 worked the same way. The finishing touches are then put on with a 

 Meeker smoothing harrow. Rows are marked off two feet nine 

 inches apart and the plants set five or six inches apart in the row. 



PLANTING AND CARE 



The plants are pulled and most of the dirt shaken from the roots. 

 The roots are then well puddled in rather thick mud, placed in boxes, 

 and hauled to the field. Dibbers are used in setting, care being taken 

 to see that the soil is well firmed around the roots, and the plants set 

 no deeper than they grew in the flats. Under favorable conditions an 

 experienced man will set from one thousand to fifteen hundred per 

 hour. 



After the plants have started to grow, we go over the rows with a 

 Planet Jr., two wheel hand-cultivator, having on the disks or small 

 plows, set to throw away from the rows. The crust is then broken 

 up between the plants with hand weeders, or narrow hoes, at the 

 same time uncovering those plants which were set too deep. The 

 field is then cultivated with a riding cultivator, which is kept going 

 often enough during the season to maintain a fine soil mulch two or 

 three inches deep. No dirt is thrown against the celery during 

 w^arm weather, as it is liable to cause the celery to rust. After the 

 first cultivation a ton of high grade fertilizer is applied along the 

 row^s, with a McWhorter Distributer. 



The plants are sprayed with Bordeaux Mixture two or three times 

 before setting in the field, and about every two weeks thereafter. 



BLANCHING 



The celery should be large enough to commence blanching by the 

 middle of July. For this purpose we use straight grained hemlock 

 sixteen feet long, twelve inches wide, and one inch thick. A cleat is 

 nailed on each end of the board to prevent splitting. In boarding up 

 the celery, we put up boards to two rows, then skip four or six rows, 

 put up two more rows, and so proceed. The boards are held in place 

 by wide clamps made of galvanized wire. When the celery is blanched 

 the boards are taken down and put up on the adjacent row^s. 



