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FLOWERS AND FLOWER-SELLING IN SPAIN. 



season be very dry, we can thus grow fine plants. 

 Nitrate of soda scattered over the beds at the rate of a 

 pound or two to the square rod has, in our experience, 

 seldom failed to show very marked effects in promoting 

 thrifty growth. 



No matter how you get them, however, good strong 

 plants you must have ; and the earlier in June they are 

 set out, the better it will be, if early celery is wanted. 

 In the preparation of the ground, our aim is to get 

 plenty of plant food in immediate reach of the roots. 

 For this purpose we open a deep furrow with the plow 

 and fill it nearly full with old, well-rotted compost or 

 barnyard scrapings and the like, then put the soil back, 

 and mix soil and manure well together in any conveni- 

 ent manner, with hoe, wheel-hoe, cultivator, plow, or 

 whatever tool we may prefer to use. The rapid growth 

 of the celery depends on the amount and the availability 

 of the plant foods placed in reach of the roots. For 

 home production, we would not hesitate to plant on any 

 soil at our disposal ; but whoever intends to plant exten- 

 sively in a commercial way, will find it profitable to seek 

 long and faithfully for the most suitable soil, none being 

 superior to well-drained muck, and one, if possible, 

 admitting of irrigation. 



Little need be said at this time about planting. Make 

 the rows directly over the manure-filled furrows, setting 

 the plants, six inches apart, along a tightly stretched 

 garden line, or in marks made with a marker. Always 

 press the soil firmly about the roots. In a dry time, 

 water the plants liberally right after setting them, and 



if possible shade, at least for a few days, by means of a 

 board set on edge a little to the south or southeast of 

 the row, and held slantingly over the row by a few short 

 stakes. The same cultivation and general treatment 

 should be given as that required for all other garden 

 crops. Stirring the soil, by whatever implement it may 

 be thought most convenient, gives life to soil and plant, 

 and promotes thrift and luxuriance. This stirring can 

 not be overdone. 



Early in July the plants should be large enough for 

 handling or firming. Let this be done in any way pre- 

 ferred, either in the old way by drawing soil around the 

 base of each plant, or by winding a string once around 

 each as recommended by Prof. Green, and illustrated 

 on page 704 of last issue. The final blanching is done 

 by boards, and these need not be excessively wide either. 

 Part of our crop, this year, was blanched quite satis- 

 factorily by boards only five inches wide. In such case, 

 however we would prefer to hill up the rows at least 

 four or five inches and then set up the boards. Boards 

 eight or ten inches wide, of course, do better work than 

 narrower ones, and involve the least possible amount of 

 labor in the operation of blanching. There are few 

 homes where old boards in sufficient number to bleach 

 a full supply of celery, could not be found lying about, 

 or at least readily available for this purpose. We use 

 our stock of boards at least for two lots of celery during 

 each season, and sometimes for three. As fast as the 

 blanched plants are dug up and boards become avail- 

 able, the latter are put on a later lot of plants. 



FLOWERS AND FLOWER-SELLING IN SPAIN. 



ALTHOUGH the capital of Cataluna and its 

 vicinity are not the best places in which 

 to judge of Iberian horticultural standards, 

 still much is to be learned there about 

 Spanish planting and plantation methods, and es- 

 pecially, of course, concerning fruit culture. Fat 

 and tough cherries as big as walnuts, luscious 

 Muscatel grapes larger than pigeon's eggs, and 

 these at 10 centimes (two cents or one penny) per 

 pound — such are two of the notable results of crop- 

 raising in Hispania. 



During three weeks the writer has been among the 

 florists and their flowers a little way outside of Barce- 

 lona city. The public flower market is held daily on 

 the most fashionable public promenade called Rambla 

 de los Flores. On Sundays until mid-day this scene is 

 unusually brilliant, and the air full of odors sweet and 

 delicate. The glare of the sun is intercepted by the dense 

 foliage of the trees, tall and stately, looming up on 

 either side of the pleasant walk. The stalls are prop- 

 erly equipped stone tablets and benches, supplied with 

 plentiful water. There are some forty such stalls, let 

 out by the municipality. 



Being near the sea, the palm world gets on well in the 



vicinity of Barcelona. Coniferae would be out of their ele- 

 ment here, but are at home in the interior. The 

 cactus does fairly near the coast. P. Coll, Jr., Paseo 

 de San Juan, has on exhibition the finest cactus show 

 ever known in Spain. Some of the specimens are forty 

 and fifty years old, and the biggest has two notable 

 side off-shoots exactly opposite each other. 



When it is possible, the Spanish horticulturist goes 

 abroad for his training — to France and Belgium. Re- 

 turning, he rents about 10 hectares of land and employs 

 some 30 to 40 men, works them 10 hours daily, and 

 pays each an average of pesetas (70 cents) per diem. 

 His "plant" will be worth some hundred thousand 

 pesetas. The running expenses will amount to forty or 

 fifty thousand pesetas every year, and if he can draw 

 an annual benefice of 10 per cent, or 2,000 duros, he 

 will consider himself all right. He may sometimes own 

 the land he works. Then, indeed, he is rich; for three 

 hectares of land near the city is worth the high figure 

 of 450,000 pesetas. 



This estimate refers to the biggest establishment only. 

 Of course there are a number of petty concerns cover- 

 ing from one to ten hectares. Full particulars about 

 these minor growers may be obtained from the local 

 horticultural society, who publish (or are now about to 



