538 
AMERICAN AGKRIOULTTJRIST. 
[December, 
Celeriac—Turnip-Rooted Celery, 
Celery is rarely seen in the gardens of 
farmers. One reason for this is the impres¬ 
sion that it is difficult to raise, and requires 
more labor than can be afforded. In celery 
proper, that portion eaten is the large leaf¬ 
stalks, after they have been made white and 
crisp by the exclusion of light. The variety 
known as Turnip-rooted, or Knob-celery, and 
Celeriac differs from the common kind in 
having a large root. The two kinds are only 
different forms of the same plant, the en- 
CELERIAC, OR TURNIP-ROOTED CELERY. 
larged root being the result of cultivation and 
.selection. In this, the root is the edible por¬ 
tion, and those who find it too much trouble 
to cultivate ordinary celery, might readily 
grow this, as its culture is as easy as that of 
beets, etc., and add to their list of vegetables. 
It is especially a favorite with the Germans, 
and not many years ago its cultivation and 
use in this country was exclusively confined 
to them. The consumption has of late in¬ 
creased with great rapidity, and instead of 
being a rarity, it is now seen in the markets 
in large quantities. The flavor of the root is 
like that of the stalks of common celery, but 
rather less mild. It it used with other vege¬ 
tables in soups, to which it gives a pleasing 
flavor. Sliced and stewed until tender, and 
then dressed with drawn butter, it forms a 
dish that is much liked by those who are 
fond of celery in any form. Its chief use 
among Europeans is to form a salad. The 
roots are boiled until quite tender, and when 
cold, are sliced and dressed as a salad. To 
raise Celeriac, the seeds are sown in a bed in 
spring, as soon as the soil is in good condi¬ 
tion, in drills 10 inches apart. The plants are 
kept hoed and weeded, and when they are 
three or four inches high, are transplanted. 
They should have rich soil, and be set in rows 
two feet apart, with a foot between the 
plants. The after culture is merely that of 
other root crops, no earthing up being re¬ 
quired. At the approach of cold weather, 
the roots are taken up and placed in trenches, 
as we have described for celery, or in boxes 
in the cellar. The root is irregularly round¬ 
ish, and as seen in the markets is rarely so 
large as one’s fist, but by giving it rich soil, 
sufficient room, and good culture, it may be 
grown to weigh three or four pounds. If the 
exposed portion of the root be covered with 
earth a few days before marketing, it will 
have a more attractive appearance. 
How a Farmer may have Pears in Plenty. 
BY D. Z. EVANS, JR. 
Every farmer who owns his place, should 
have fruit trees and vines, at least enough for 
his own use, as fruit is not merely a luxury, 
but a real necessity in maintaining the health¬ 
fulness of the family. The expense for trees 
and vines, and the cost and trouble of caring 
for them, is comparatively small. There are 
varieties suitable to each section of our coun¬ 
try, with its widely diversified climate and 
soil. The enhanced value of a farm, by hav¬ 
ing abundant fruit trees, more than compen¬ 
sates for the outlay. Apples are generally 
plentiful enough, yet pears, the newer and 
finer sorts at least, are too often wanting on 
our farms. Some varieties, like the White 
Doyenne and a few others, may be liable to 
cracks, mildew, etc., in most localities, yet 
there are still enough excellent sorts which 
can be depended on, that will fruit compara¬ 
tively early after they are planted, are good 
and regular croppers,and bear large,fine fruit. 
The Soils for the Penr, 
Those soils best suited to the pear are, a 
sandy or a clayey loam ; they should always 
be well and thoroughly drained, either nat¬ 
urally or artificially, and have been deeply, 
frequently, and properly worked, for two or 
three seasons previous, to insure a mellow 
soil, free from sod and weeds, and in a condi¬ 
tion to induce a good growth from the start. 
A stunted tree is as difficult to make profita¬ 
ble, as is a stunted colt or calf. Almost any 
soil which can be denominated as “good 
corn ground,” provided it is not too full 
of vegetable matter, as is much of the 
prairie lands, will be good land for the pear, 
other things being equal. We are in favor of 
early spring planting, instead of autumn, the 
only thing in favor of the latter being, that 
when a large orchard is to be set there is us¬ 
ually more time in the fall to do it properly, 
than in spring, when so many other duties are 
urgent. Rows are tftbe struck out, with a two- 
horse plow, 18 to 20 feet apart for standards, 
and from 12 to 15 feet apart for the dwarfs, 
giving them plenty of room. Holes are dug 
large enough to admit the roots without 
cramping them, the roots well spread out, 
good and fine soil first put on, then other 
earth, packing the ground down firmly with 
the feet as the hole is being filled up, and the 
earth then mounded around the tree to allow 
for settling. If the soil is not pressed firmly 
to the roots, but few of the trees will live, 
and it is a good plan to dip the root 3 of the 
trees in thick mud before planting, in order 
to make the soil adhere to them. The trees 
should be well headed back, and all bruised, 
broken, and injured roots, neatly cut away 
with a sharp knife; this should be done before 
the trees are taken to the field to be planted. 
BSeiomlil'aal ©Saristmas K«ses.— The 
Black Hellebore (Helleborus niger ) is called 
Christmas Rose in England, because in that 
country it often blooms in December. With 
us it flowers in early spring. It is not a com¬ 
mon plant in our gardens, as it does not 
flourish with full exposure to our hot suns, 
but needs a partly shaded spot. The plant 
has nothing rose-like about it. The much 
divided thick evergreen leaves proceed di¬ 
rectly from the root, as do the flower 
stems, which are 6 to 12 inches high, and bear 
one to three white flowers three inches or 
more across. The flowers last for weeks, and 
on this account the plant is well worth grow¬ 
ing in pots.. In a cool greenhouse, or in 
window culture where the room is not over¬ 
heated, it will do admirably. Within a few 
years the European florists have produced 
a number of hybrids between this and 
other species, some of which are of surpass¬ 
ing beauty, and when once known will be¬ 
come popular. In some of these the leaves 
and flowers do not come directly from the 
l’oot, but are upon stems 6 to 12 inches high, 
each bearing several flowers. We hope that 
these plants may prove to be easily propa¬ 
gated, as they can not fail to be favorites. 
Corn Salad—Lamb's Lettuce, 
Aside from Spinach, the earliest green 
thing in the market from the open ground, 
is Corn Salad. Its cultivation is far from 
general, though it has increased greatly 
within the last few years. The plant is a 
native of Southern Europe, and is cultivated 
largely on the Continent; it is also grown, 
but less generally, in Great Britain, where 
it having become a weed in the corn, as 
wheat is there called, it gets one of its names. 
The botanical name is Valerianella olitoria, 
and as this would indicate, it is a near relative 
of Valerian. It is an annual, rarely more 
than six inches high, forming a tuft of 
rounded-oblong leaves, about two inches 
high, before the flower stalk appears, in 
which state it is gathered for use. At this 
time it has the appearance shown in the en- 
THE CORN SALAD, OR LAMB’S LETTUCE. 
graving. The culture is the same as that of 
spinach. The seeds are sown very early in 
the spring, and also in September at the 
North for the earliest crop, the plants remain¬ 
ing in the ground over winter. At the 
South,' sow in December and until cold 
weather closes the ground. The plant is 
usually pulled for market, as the small roots 
make it lie up lighter in measuring. It is 
sometimes marketed in small baskets like 
those used for Water Cress, but most com¬ 
monly sold by measure. The chief use of 
the plant is as a salad, either by itself, or 
mingled with celery and other vegetables. 
While some highly esteem it, others look 
upon it merely as a medium for eating oil 
and vinegar. In Europe it is also cooked 
like spinach and served in the same manner. 
