CULTURE OF THE CELERY. 



679 



in which the plants are set, the root is formed into a brush of fibres : and by 

 thus preventing the pushing of a tap-root, the plant never runs to seed before 

 the following spring. — (Caled. Hort. Mem. vol. ii.) 



1516. Transplanting into t^'enches. — Where the object is to have very 

 large celery, only one row ought to be planted in a trench ; but where a 

 moderate size is preferred, there may be two rows ; or the trenches may be 

 made four feet or six feet wide, and the celery planted in rows across the 

 trench, at the distance of a foot from one another, and six inches apart in 

 the row. Single trenches, when the object is to grow celery alone, may be 

 made in the direction of north and south, three feet or four feet apart, centre 

 from centre, and eight inches or ten inches deep ; the soil dug out being 

 formed into a ridge between the trenches. As every trench is opened, dig into 

 the bottom a coating of five or six inches in thickness of thoroughly-rotted 

 dung, and along the centre of the trench insert the plants with a trowel, at 

 six inches apart. When the plants are being removed, previously to plant- 

 ing, all side slips should be carefully taken off. Where celery is to be 

 grown with other crops, as in simultaneous rotations (921), the trenches 

 may be made six feet or eight feet apart centre from centre, and a row of 

 peas for sticking, or some other crop of short duration, should be grown 

 between every two rows of celery. Where celery is to be planted in rows 

 across broad trenches, whatever may be the width of the trench, a similar 

 width must be allowed between them for containing the soil dug out ; and 

 these trenches should be made in the direction of east and west, for the same 

 reason that trenches for single or double rows are made in the direction of 

 north and south. To save ground, the plants before they are planted in the 

 trenches should be kept in the nursery till they are ten inches or twelve 

 inches high, taken up with balls, any descending roots shortened, any suckers 

 that may have appeared removed, and the points of the leaves cut off, so as to 

 throw the whole strength of the plant into the central bud, or growing point. 



1517. Blanching. — It has been already observed (1509), with respect to 

 blanching generally, that it w^eakens the plant by lessening the powder of the 

 leaves to elaborate nourishment, and return it to the root ; and hence, celery 

 which is intended to grow of large size should be nearly full-grown before 

 it is earthed up at all. Mr. Stewart grew celery which averaged from 9 lbs. 

 to 12 lbs. weight, which had not been finally earthed up more than 

 three weeks before it was gathered, and which had only one slight earthing- 

 up previously to the final one, which was in September. On the other hand, 

 when celery is wished to be of small size, and tender, it ought to be earthed 

 up in an early stage of its growth, and the process continued as it advances in 

 height. If the plants have been liberally supplied with water when first put 

 into the trenches, and daily afterwards, excepting during rains, they will be 

 ready to receive the first earthing-up in three or four weeks. This is done 

 by paring down a little soil on each side of the trench with the spade, draw- 

 ing it against the plants, and taking care that none of it gets into their hearts. 

 To prevent this, each plant may be first slightly wrapped round with a 

 strand of matting ; and to do this on a large scale, a strand is procured of 

 great length, or is added to as it is applied ; and one end being tied round and 

 fastened to the first plant in the row, it is passed on to the next plant, giving 

 it one twist round the leaves, and so on till the other end of the row is 

 reached, when it is there fastened to the last plant. The moulding-up may 

 now proceed with rapidity, and when finished the strand should be removed, 



