D. M. FERRY & GO'S DESCRIPTIVE CATALOGUE. 



27 



CULTURE— Sow the seed (which is slow to germinate) in shallow 

 boses indoors or in a finely prepared seed bed out of doors, in straight 

 rows, so that the small plants may be kept free from weeds. See to 

 it that the seed is not covered too deep and that the bed is kept moist, 

 almost wet, until the seeds germinate, as plenty of moisture is essen- 

 tial to get a satisfactory growth. The seed will not germinate well if 

 planted in a hotbed or where subjected to a temperature above 60". 



V^Tien the plants are one to two inches high, thin out and transplant so that they may stand three inches apart each 



way. When they are four inches high, cut off the tops, which will cause the plants to grow stocky. 



The crop is usually made to succeed some earlier one, but in order to grov/ good celery the soil must be made as rich 



as possible, the essentials to success being very Hch soil and plenty of water. If good plants are used, they may be set 



out as lat« as the middle of August, but the best results are usually obtained from setting about the middle of June or 



first of July. The most desirable time will depend upon local climate and is that which will bring the plants to maturity 



during cool, moist weather. In setting, prepare broad trenches about six inches deep and four to six feet apart, in which 



th«^ plants should be set six inches apart, cutting off the outer leaves and pressing the soil firmly about the roots. When 



th<^ plants are nearly full grown they should be "handled," which is done by gathering the leaves together while the 



earth is drawn about the plant to one-third its height, taking care that none of it falls between the leaves, as it would be 



likely to cause them to rust or rot. After a few days draw more earth about them and repeat the process every few days 



4int;l only the tops of the leaves are visible. Or it may be blanched by 



j)re.ssing the leaves together with two wide boards held in place by stakes 



or oy wire hooks at the top. This is the method commonly used by market 



g-ardeners. but celery so blanched is more likely to become pithy than 



that blanched with earth. Care should be taken that the plants are not 



disturbed while they are wet or the 



ground is damp; to do so increases the 



liability to injury from rust. 



A part of the crop may be simply 

 'handled"' and then at the approach of 



severe freezing weather taken up and set 



out compactly in a dark cellar or an 



unused cold frame, where the tempera- 

 ture can be kept just above the freezing 



point and it will' then gradually blanch 



so that it may be used throughout the 



winter. Should the plants begin to wilt, 



water the roots without wetting the stalks 



or leaves and they will revive again. 



Celery is sometimes grown by what is 



termed the new process, which consists 



in making a spot as rich as possible and 



there setting the plants six to eight 



inches apart each way. If the soil is very 



rich and there is an abundance of water, 



the plants will blanch each other and the 



product will be very white and handsome, 



but we think it is inferior in quality to 



that grown by the old method. 





Self Blaacliiiig' 



This is the best celery for early use. Critical gardeners 

 depend upon our stock of this sort to produce their finest 

 early celery. Plants of a yellowish-green color, but as they 

 mature the inner stems and leaves turn a beautiful golden 

 yellow, which adds much to their attractiveness and makes 

 the work of blanching much easier. The handsome color, 

 erispness, tenderness, freedom from stringiness and fine 

 nutiy flavor of this variety make it only necessary to be 

 tried in order to establish it as the standard of excellence 

 a.s an early sort. Pkt. hf. Ok. 45c; 2 Oz. 86c; H Lb. $1.60; 

 Ui. $4.60 



ose 



Paris 



Very attractive and of splendid quality. In general 

 character this sort resembles the Golden Yellow Self Blanch- 

 ing from which it originated, but the plant is more compact, 

 the stalks a little larger and the upper portions, particularly 

 of the heart stems, are a richer, deeper yellow, beautifully 

 blended with pink. The stalks are a very rich and wax-like 

 yellow. The plant is stout and vigorous and as self-blanch- 

 mg as any variety in cultivation. The leaves are broad, the 

 outer ones dark green, but becoming more yellow toward 

 the center until those of the heart are deep yellow. Tliough 

 the ribs are prominent the large, thick stalks are practically 

 stringless and wonderfully crisp, tender and good flavored. 

 We have carefully tested this sort and we believe it to be 

 one of the most valuable kinds in cultivation both for the 

 home garden and those markets which demand vegetables 

 of high quality. No celery grower or market gardener 

 should fail to grow it extensively. Pkt. 6c; Oz. 86c; 

 2 Oi. 60c$ H Lb. $1.00; Lb. $8.60 



Golden Yellow 



Self Blanching Celery. 



