2 3 6 



Hop Curing in California. 



grades of pine are used, but new boards are liable to impart 

 a flavour to the celery. Ordinary farm drain tiles, of about 

 4 inches inside diameter, are also often used for early celery, 

 and this has been found a very satisfactory method. Common 

 unglazed pipes are placed over the celery when it is almost full 

 grown, some of the outside leaves being first pulled away and 

 the main part of the plant loosely tied together. The commonest 

 method of blanching on a small scale is, however, by banking 

 with soil. 



Celery for winter use is generally not blanched at all, as the 

 necessary blanching will take place while the crop is in storage, 

 and only enough earth is placed round the base of the plants 

 while in the open ground to secure an upright and compact growth. 



When only a small quantity is grown, the celery is stored by 

 first banking it up with earth to a height sufficient to keep the 

 plants in good form, and afterwards, when hard frost is expected, 

 the earth is thrown up to the tops of the plants and the ridge 

 covered with coarse stable manure, straw, &c, held in place by 

 means of old boards. The celery is not allowed to freeze. 



Large growers treat the last of the crop by the method known 

 as trenching. The crop remains in the ground till hard frost is 

 expected, when boards are set up about 18 inches apart, between 

 which the celery is packed with the roots in soil. The soil is 

 thrown up on the outside to the tops of the boards, which 

 are then lifted out and the soil allowed to come in contact with 

 the celery. A covering of boards, straw, &c, is placed over the 

 tops in cold weather. Another method of trenching is to dig a 

 pit about 2 feet deep and 3 feet wide, and pack the celery in this 

 with the roots close together in the soil. It is then watered and 

 allowed to remain open long enough for the tops to become 

 dried off. The trench is covered with boards and straw placed 

 on this to keep out the cold. In some cases large growers use a 

 special celery store house. 



Curing and Pressing Hops in California. 



Hops are dried in California immediately after picking by 

 spreading them on an elevated floor of slats covered with a 



