CULTURAL DIRECTIONS 
307 
Muck soils are especially adapted to celery because 
they are moist, fertile, loose and friable; they are also 
easily worked, so that it costs less to grow a crop in 
such lands than in other soils. It is very generally ad- 
mitted, however, that the characteristic flavor is some- 
what lacking when celery is grown on muck soils. 
While muck soils possess marked advantages for very 
extensive cultivation of the crop, splendid returns may 
be obtained on any soil that is deep, moist, fertile and 
well drained, sandy loams being preferred. Many clay 
and silt soils produce excellent crops, especially when 
well manured and irrigated. The introduction of modern 
methods of garden irrigation has made it possible to 
grow this crop at a profit wherever favorable market 
conditions can be found. 
402. Sources of seed. — The planting of high-grade seed 
is of prime importance, for poor seed may cause pithy 
or hollow stalks, a running to seed the first year, a 
failure to get a good stand of plants, and a lack of vigor 
and uniformity. Practically all of the seeds of the self- 
blanching varieties are grown in France. Excellent seeds 
of the green sorts are produced in California. Growers 
of the Boston Market use seeds produced near Boston. 
Since great skill and care are required in the growing 
of celery seed, gardeners should purchase their supplies 
from the most reliable dealers. Some commercial grow- 
ers import from specialists in order to be absolutely 
certain of getting good seed. This is unnecessary, how- 
ever, if the most reliable dealers in this country are 
patronized. 
Fresh seed is advocated by most growers, although a 
few careful gardeners prefer to buy large quantities from 
various sources, and then use the best from year to year 
until the -supply is exhausted. If kept in sealed glass 
jars where the temperature does not vary greatly, the 
germinating power of the seeds will be retained from six 
