ACETARIACEOUS PLANTS. — CELERY. 



145 



other on the other side of the adjoining 

 row, or, as "the knights of the whip" 

 would say, one on the near side and the 

 other on the off side of the space between 

 two rows. These boards are placed in- 

 clining rather outwards at top ; they are 

 kept in their place by a triangular piece 

 of board placed between them like a 

 wedge at each end of the boards, while a 

 man on each side of the bed breaks up 

 the soil finery, which has been left be- 

 tween the beds on purpose, and throws it 

 in between the boards as high as the pre- 

 sent earthing up is intended to be carried, 

 which, upon an average, is 6 inches. The 

 boards are then lifted gently upwards, 

 and the pulverised soil falls in between 

 the plants. They are removed to the 

 next space, and so on. This is an expedi- 

 tious mode, and with very ordinary care 

 none of the soil falls into the hearts of 

 the plants. Others take the leaves of a 

 plant in one hand, holding them together, 

 while with the other they press the soil 

 around their stems : but this is a time- 

 killing process. Whichever process is 

 followed, the soil should be kept open 

 and loose around the plants, to prevent 

 unnecessary pressure as well as exclusion 

 of air. 



The following mode of earthing up is 

 detailed by Mr Duncan of Basing Park, 

 in the " Journal of the Horticultural So- 

 ciety," vol. vi. p. 214 : — "The process is 

 effected by three different operations. The 

 first takes place when the plants have 

 grown 9 or 10 inches in height. The 

 small leaves immediately above the roots, 

 and all embryo suckers, are carefully re- 

 moved. After that the bed is completely 

 saturated with liquid manure;" but sub- 

 sequently to this period Mr Duncan " does 

 not consider it requisite that any artificial 

 watering should take place. The beds are 

 then covered with about 4 inches of mould 

 from the ridges, which helps to keep the 

 plants in an erect position, and acts like 

 a mulching on the roots, thereby prevent- 

 ing, in some measure, the evaporation of 

 moisture from the bed. Some three weeks 

 before the early crop is required for use, 

 the second earthing takes place, which is 

 performed in the following manner by 

 two operators : Two boards, some 8 or 9 

 inches in depth, and equal in length to the 

 width of the bed" (for Mr D. adopts the 

 broad trench, or Scotch form), "are placed 



edgeways between the rows, each board 

 resting against the plants in either row, 

 so as to form at once space for the recep- 

 tion of the mould, and a protection to the 

 leaves whilst the operation of earthing is 

 being performed. When the required 

 quantity of soil has been deposited, the 

 boards are carefully withdrawn, and placed 

 betwixt the next two rows; and so the 

 work proceeds, until all has been com- 

 pleted. When, the soil is of a very wet, 

 tenacious character, dry ashes, fine mould, 

 or other material, can readily be intro- 

 duced next the plants, for which purpose 

 double boards, properly adjusted and fixed 

 to each other, form a ready medium by 

 which to introduce the material. When 

 sufficient blanching material has been de- 

 posited, the boards are carefully with- 

 drawn, and placed in the opposite row ; 

 and it will be readily understood that the 

 fine mould which has passed through the 

 vacuum formed between the boards will 

 be in immediate connection with the 

 leaves of the plants, the common earth 

 placed in the centre of the row enabling 

 it to maintain that position. These boards 

 can of course be set to any required dis- 

 tance apart, that distance being deter- 

 mined by the quantity of blanching ma- 

 terial at command. This mode, whether 

 applied to single rows or the more econo- 

 mical system of bed-culture, I consider to 

 be at least equal in its effects to any ad- 

 vantage that can be derived from the use 

 of tiles." 



The third and final earthing of the early 

 crops is accomplished at intervals of ten 

 or twelve days before the celery is required 

 for use, placing the mould high and close 

 about the leaves. " I have, however," Mr 

 Duncan observes, "found a different sys- 

 tem to be advantageous with celery in- 

 tended for winter use. Some time towards 

 the latter part of October, when the weather 

 is dry and favourable, the plants are fully 

 earthed up ; but the soil is neither put so 

 high, nor is it so closely packed to the 

 leaves, as is recommended for the earlier 

 crops, as I have found it to keep better 

 under such conditions. After the winter 

 has fairly set in, I have a sufficient quan- 

 tity for a fortnight's consumption covered 

 over with leaves which had previously 

 been heated, from which cause they will 

 readily remain in flakes of some 6 inches 

 in thickness, and resist alike the action of 



