116 
THE SOUTHERN CULTIVATOR. 
flavor to the plant. II Iresh manure from the 
yard, of whatever kind, is used, the^elery will 
invariably grow strong and rank, with as little 
delicacy ol flavor as there is in the manme. 
With a garden fork of four tines, strikethrough 
the manure in the trench into the earth beneath, 
and bring it up Iresh, carefully mixing it with 
the manure as you proceed Irom one end ol the 
trench to the other. Attention to this point 
is indispensable to the growth of good celery. 
The plants taken up should be trimmed about 
the crown, just at the top of the root; all the 
young suckers taken olf, leaving the plant trim 
and neat, with all its main stalks. With a dib- 
ble, which should be as large as the handle of a 
spade, as the roots will low be of considerable 
size, begin at one end ol the trench with your 
face towards the other, and set in a single row 
of plants in the middle of the trench, and not 
less than 6 inches asunder; water them well. 
No tetotaler loves water better than celery. It 
cannot have too much. The roots of this plant 
require more room than is generally allowed 
them, as any one may see when they are taken 
up for the table. 
Earthing up the plants should be delayed un- 
til they have attained a good size; and then it 
requires care, especially the first time. 1 al- 
ways get into the trench myself, and, holding 
the plant with all its stalks firmly in my left 
hand, with a short handled small hoe draw the 
earth up round the plant, without allowing it to 
come in betv/een the stalks. When this is done, 
and the plants thus protected, you may, with a 
spade, strike. off the edges ot the trench, and par- 
tially fill it. As the plant grows, (as it now 
will, if well watered in dry weather, with great 
vigor) continue to earth up, and by the 1st of 
November the plants will be two feet above the 
level of the earth, and with a main stalk the size 
of a man’s arm. 
Sometimes, particularly if the season is dry, 
celery is liable to be attacked by a fly. In that 
case, you will see the lops of the celery turn 
brown and wither. The moment that symptom 
appears, no time is to belost in calling in the 
doctor, for the whole crop is at stake. The 
cause of the disease is the sting of a fly upon 
the leaves of the celery. The egg is deposited be- 
tween the integuments cf the leaf, and soon hatch- 
es into a small white worm — sometimes visible 
on opening the leaf todhe naked eye, always by 
the aid of a microscope. If not attended to, the 
disease gradually descends to the root, and the 
whole plant falls a sacrifice. Amputate every 
defective and diseased leaf; and early in the 
morning, whilst the dew is on, sift on to the 
whole of the plants Iresh slaked lime. One 
such powdering is generally sufficient; but if 
not, give them another dose, and the first rain 
that falls will wash the plants clean, and you 
will probably see them fresh, green and stretch- 
ing away towards maturity. 
With regard to the mode of securing the crop 
for winter use, gentlemen have their fancies. I 
prefer leaving the plants in their original 
trenches, earthing up to the top of the plants, and 
covering with straw litter and'boards, so as to 
protect them sufficiently from the Irost, to be 
able to take them up as wanted; and this al- 
ways fresh and sweet. I do not fancy disturb- 
ing the roots, and transplanting into narrow 
quarters. 
Finally, any one in this country who wishes 
to have “first rate” celery must cultivate it him- 
self. Common laborers are sure to spoil it. 
Prolessional gardeners are seldom found, and 
generally too expensive when they are. 
Your ob’l servant, Junids Smitii. 
Extract from a letter from Henry Smith, Esq., dated 
Astoria, 'New York,'Jaiiuery 13. 184.5. 
Dear Sir; Agreeably to your request, i have 
measured some of the celery, taking a fair run 
of that which was taken up from the back gar- 
den ; 1st root measured 29 inches in length, and 
diameter proportionally large; 2d root measur- 
ed 29 inches in length, diameter in proportion ; 
'3d root 29 inche.s in "length, diameter also in 
pfoporvipc. 
The celery is as fine as lever had in quality; 
and 1 do not know that I ever saw much better 
even in Lancashire, where you know they are 
proverbial for fine celery. The parcel which 
we removed from the garden to the cellar, under 
the wing of the house, is all decaying very 
much as we expected it would; whilst the lot 
lelt standing in the garden, is beautiful and 
fresh. 
Siaia'J’JCULtFUKAL, OUTLSNE. 
AN OUTLINE OF THE FIRST PRINCIPLES OF 
IIOR I'ICULTURE : By John Lindley, F R.S., &c,, 
<S:c., Prolessor ot Botany in the University of Lon- 
don, and Aisistanl Secretary of the Horticultural 
Society.— [CONTINUED.] 
X. SAP. 
2fi0. The fluid matter which is absorbed eith- 
er Irom the earth or from the air is called sap. 
2GI. W hen it first enters a plant it consists ol 
w ater holding certain principles, especially car- 
bonic acid, in solution. 
262. These principles chiefly consist of ani- 
mal or vegetable matter in a state ot decompo- 
sition, and are energetic in proportion to their 
solubility, or tendency to form carbonic acid by 
combining with the oxygen of the air. 
263. Sap soon afterwards acquires the nature 
of mucilage or sugar, and subsequently becomes 
still further altered by the admixture ot such so- 
luble matter as it receives in passing in its route 
through,the alburnum or newly formed woody 
tissue. (65.) 
264. When it reaches the vicinity of the 
leaves it is attracted into them, and there having 
been exposed to light and air, is converted into 
the secretions peculiar to the species. 
265. it finally, in its altered state, sinks down 
the bark, whence it is given off literally by the 
medullary rays, and is distributed through the 
system- 
266. No solid matter whatever can be taken 
up by the roots; for this reason, metals, which 
in the state ol oxydes are poisonous, are per- 
lectly harmless in their metallic state, as mer- 
cury ; and this is, no doubt, the cause why liquid 
manure, which contains all the soluble pans ol 
manure in a fluid state, acts with so much more 
energy than stimulating substances in a solid 
state. 
267. The cause ot the motion of the sap is 
the attraction of the leal-bud and leaves. 
268. The leaf-buds called into growth by the 
combined action ol the increasing temperature 
and light of spring, decompose their carbonic 
acid. (2.79,) and attract fluid from the tissue im- 
mediately below them ; the space so caused is 
filled up by fluid again attracted from below, 
and thus a motion gradually lakes place ia the 
sap from one extremity to the other, 
269. Consequently the mo’ion of the sap 
takes place first in the branches and last in the 
roots. 
270. For this reason a branch of a plant sub- 
jected to a high temperature in winter, will grow 
while its stem is exposed to a very low tempe- 
rature. 
271. But growth under such circumstances 
will not long be maintained, unless the roots are 
secured from the reach of frost; lor, il frozen 
they cannot act, and will, consequently^, be 
unable to replace the sap of which the stem 
is emptied by the attraction of the buds convert- 
ed into branches, and by the perspiration of the 
leaves. (XII.) 
272. Whatever tends to inspissate the -sap, 
such as a dry and heated atmosphere, or aa in- 
terruption ol its rapid flow, or a great decompo- 
sition of carbonic acid by full exposureto light, 
has the property of causing excessive vigor to 
be diminished, and flower buds to be produced. 
273. While, on the other hand, whatever tends 
to dilute the sap, such as a damp atmosphere, a 
free an.! uninterrupted circulation, or a great 
accumulation of oxygen in consequence ol the 
imperfect decomposition of carbonic acid, has 
the property ol causing exces.sively rapid growth, 
and an exclusive production of leal-buds. 
274. Inspissated or accumulated san is, there- 
fore, a great cause of fertility. 
275. And thin fluid, not being elaborated, is a 
great cause ol sterility. 
276. The conversion of sap into diff^erent 
kinds of secretion is efi^ected by the combined 
action of Air (XI.), Light (^KL), and Tempera^ 
lure. 
XI. AIR AND LIGHT, 
277. When an embryo plant (242,) is formed 
within its integuments, it is usually colorless, 
or nearly so; but, as soon as it begins to grow, 
that part which approaches the light (the stem,) 
becomes.colored, while the opposite extremity 
(the root) remains colorless. 
278. The parts exposed to the air absorb oxy'- 
gen atnight, absorb carbonic acid and part with 
oxygen again in day-light; and thus in the day- 
time purity the air, and render it fit for me re- 
spiration ol man. 
279. The intensity of this latter phenomenon 
is in proportion to the intensity of solar light to 
which leaves are directly exposed. 
280. its cause is the decomposition of car- 
bonic acid, the extrication ol oxygen, and ihe 
acquisition by the plant of carbon in a solid 
state ; from which, modified by the peculiar vital 
actions of species, color and secretions are sup- 
posed to result. 
281. For it is lo'.ind that the intensity of color 
and the quantity of secretions are in proportion 
to the exposure to light and air, as is shown by 
the deeper color ol the upper side of leaves, &c. 
282. And by the lact that it plants be grown 
'in airfrom which light is excluded, neither color 
nor secretions are formed, as is exemplified in 
blanched vegetables; which, if even naturally 
poisonous, may, Irom want of exposure to light, 
become wholesome, as celery, 
283. When any color a-ppears in parts devel- 
oped in the dark, it is generally caused by the 
absorption of such coloring mailer as pre-exist- 
ed in the root or other body from which the 
blanched shoot proceeds, as in some kinds of 
rhubarb when forced. 
2§4. 'Or by the deposition of coloring matter 
formed by parts developed in ligiit, as in the 
subterranean roots ol beets, carrots, &c. 
285. What is true of color is also true of fla- 
vor, which equally depends upon light lor its 
existence; because flavor is produced by chemi- 
cal alterations in the sap caused oy exposure to 
light. (229.) 
286. The same thing occurs in regard to nu- 
tritive matter, which in like manner is formed 
by the exposure of leaves to light. Thus the 
potatoe when forced in dark houses contains no 
more amylaceous matter than previously exist- 
ed in the original tuber ; but acquires it in abun- 
dance when placed in the light, and deposits it 
in proportion as it is influenced by light and air. 
Thus, also, if peaches are grown in wooden 
houses, at a distance from the light, they will 
form so little nutritive matter as to be unable to 
support a crop ol fruit, the greater part of which 
will fall oflf. And for a similar reason, it is on- 
ly 'the Outside shoots ol standard iruit trees that 
bearfruit. Considerations ol this kind form in 
part the basis of pruning and training. 
287. Light is the most pow'erful stimulus that 
can he employed to excite the vital actions -of 
plants, and its energy is in proportion to -its in- 
tensity ; so that the direct rays of the sun will 
produce much more powerlul effects than the 
diffused light of day. 
288. Hence, il buds, that are very excitable 
are placed in a diflflsed light, their excitability 
will be checked. 
289. And if buds that are very torpid are ex- 
posed to direct light, they will be stimulated in- 
to action. 
290. So that what parts of a tree shall first 
begin to grow in the spring may be determined 
atthe will of the cultivator. 
291. This is the key to some important .prac- 
tices in lorcing. 
292. This should also cause attention to be 
paid to shading buds from the direct rays of the 
sun in particular cases ; as in that of eutiings, 
w’hose buds, if too rapidly excited, might ex- 
haust their only reservoir of sap, the stem, be- 
fore new roots were loimed to repair such loss. 
