CELERY CULTURE 



37 



the soil with a solution of formaldehyde, two pounds to fifty gallons of 

 water. When the soil is dry enough, screen it through a sieve of 

 one-quarter inch mesh. Press the soil down firmly and mark off 

 rows two inches apart and not more than one-quarter inch deep„ 

 The day before sowing, sterilize the seed by washing it in a solution 

 of two ounces copper sulphate and one-half gallon of water. The 

 seed is then placed over hot water pipes to dry. Sow thinly in the 

 drills, and cover lightly with fine sand. The bed is then covered 

 with burlap and given a thorough watering, using water from the 

 hot water system. Water occasionally as needed, and when the seed 

 germinates remove burlap covering, and give the bed a thorough 

 watering. Keep the soil slightly loosened between the rows, and if 

 more water is required before plants are large enough to transplant, 

 pour the water between the rows. Avoid wetting the leaves. When 

 the rough leaves appear we commence transplanting. The plants are 

 set one and one-quarter inches apart in flats, and are kept in the 

 greenhouse until well established. Before removing to the cold- 

 frames, the plants are sprayed with Bordeaux Mixture. Unless the 

 frames are steam-heated, we place one-half foot of fresh horse manure 

 in bottom of frame, tramp down firmly, and place the flats upon the 

 manure. 



The plants are kept growing nicely, but are not hardened by 

 exposure to severe weather, as in the case of cabbage. They are 

 treated more like tomato plants; the frames are well ventilated, and 

 sash removed during warm days. Considerable care is exercised in 

 watering the plants. The soil in the flats should never be allowed to 

 become so dry that the plants will wilt, nor enough water applied to 

 saturate the soil. The plants are transplanted to the field about the 

 middle of May. 



SOIL 



Stony land or land with a loose, gravelly sub-soil should be 

 avoided, otherwise almost any kind of soil will grow good celery„ 

 Muck land is undoubtedly the ideal soil for celery, but few of us are so 

 favorably situated — hence we will have to use such soil as we happen 

 to have. The important thing i& to h?ive the land well filled with 

 humus, and in good, friable con<Jltion. It has been our custom to 

 apply forty or fifty tons of well rotted manure per acre during the 

 winter. As soon as dry enough in the spring, we go on the field with 

 a four-horse cut-a-way harrow, and cut tto ground over three or four 



