CELERY GROWING IN COLORADO 
By L. J. REID 
Climatic conditions in Colorado have made irrigation a neces¬ 
sity and, as a result, we find that the growing of certain crops has 
been very much specialized. Thus, celery growing has become an 
important industry in those sections where conditions are such as 
to make it most profitable. Celery delights in our cool nights and 
its crispness is improved thereby. 
It is only in the last century that celery has become an impor¬ 
tant article of human diet. The wild celery, a native of the swamps 
and lowlands of England and Europe, is a small, tough plant of bit¬ 
ter taste. This has been improved by selection and better culture 
methods until today it is much used on our tables. Since the drain¬ 
ing of the muck beds of the Great Lakes, commercial growing has 
made rapid progress until certain sections have become famous as 
a result of the extensive raising of this vegetable. 
In the vicinity of the largest cities of the state a very intensive 
system of gardening is carried on. Under these conditions, from 
two to ten acres are all one man can care for, and even then help 
must be employed at many times. Those who grow celery in the 
field during the summer generally grow lettuce, radishes and cu¬ 
cumbers in hotbeds and coldframes during the colder seasons. Some 
of these beds are used in the spring for the raising of the celery 
plants. 
Soils. —Since celery is a native of moist land, it is natural to 
suppose that it should be grown on muck soil, and it is true that the 
largest crops are generally grown in this way. However, ‘it is well 
known that celery grown on mucky soil is not of as good quality as 
that grown on firmer ground. Celery growing in Colorado is 
mostly confined to the river bottom lands, for the reason that these 
have more sand than is usually found in the uplands; they contain 
more vegetable matter; are less liable to excessive drying out; and 
usually the water supply for irrigation is more certain. The ideal 
celery soil is a rich, loose sandy loam. Owing to our dry climate 
it has come about naturally that celery growing is confined mostly 
to those low lying lands where the water is close to the surface, and 
on soils which never become very dry. Alkali in small quantities 
does no harm. In fact, some of the best celery land is white with 
alkali during the winter. 
Preparation oP the Land.— Since the farms are small, there 
has been very little crop rotation, but instead heavy manuring has 
been practiced. A cheap supply of manure is always available in 
the vicinity of large cities, where the celery gardens are usually lo¬ 
cated. As a rule, this may be obtained for the hauling, any kind of 
manure being used, but care must be taken not to apply that which 
