Vegetable Growing in Colorado. ii 
When the head or curd begins to form, care must be taken to 
prevent it being discolored or injured by insects. This is accom¬ 
plished by folding the outer leaves over the head and tying them 
in place. 
If the vegetable is to be sold, the outer leaves are trimmed off 
so as to project about one inch beyond the head, and the heads are 
usually wrapped in paper and packed in ventilated barrels or crates. 
Cauliflower may be forced profitably in the greenhouse. It requires 
about the same temperature as lettuce, with a high degree of hu¬ 
midity. 
The seed is always expensive, but it pays to secure the best ob¬ 
tainable. 
CELERY. 
Soil .—A moist loamy soil containing an abundance of veget¬ 
able matter is best suited to celery growing. It is better if the 
water table is only three or four feet below the surface, and, for 
this reason, the river bottoms of Colorado are best adapted to the 
crop. But celery may be grown profitably on higher land where 
the necessary moisture can be supplied by irrigation. The climate 
of this state is well suited to the growing of celery. It delights in 
our cool nights and bright days. 
Fertilizers .—The soil on which celery is grown must be rich 
in vegetable matter. This is best supplied by stable manure, ap¬ 
plied at the rate of 30 to 40 two-horse loads per acre. Commercial 
fertilizer may sometimes be used to advantage. When used, it is 
usually applied at the rate of 1000 to 1500 pounds per acre. 
Seed Bed .—The growing of plants in the seed bed is one of 
the most exacting operations connected with celery culture. The 
seed are small and slow to germinate and great care in watering 
and shading is necessary for good results. The soil in the seed bed 
should be fine and rich. The seed may be planted rather thickly 
in drills or broadcasted. For the early crop the seed should be 
planted in hotbeds the first or second week in March, while the seed 
for the late or main crop may be planted during the early part of 
April. The seed should be covered very lightly, say about a quar¬ 
ter of an inch and sometimes sand is used for this. Between the 
time of planting and the appearance of the young plants is a critical 
period. The surface of the soil should not be allowed to become 
dry, but large quantities of water cannot be applied. The beds 
should be watered with a fine spray. When the plants are very 
young, shading on warm sunshiny days may be desirable. Cloth 
or lath screens will serve for this. When the plants are large 
enough to handle, they should be transplanted, if it is possible to 
