78 
A KITCHEN GAKDEN 
leaving about two inches of the tips stick out at the 
top. It is important to hold the stalks closely, that the 
dirt may not sift down among the stalks, which would 
either rot the heart or cause the inner stalks to 
become twisted and crooked. The second and suc¬ 
ceeding bankings are done by a boy standing over 
the row, clasping the stems in his hand closely, 
while a man on each side banks up the loose dirt 
with a shovel; as they raise the bank the boy slides 
his hand further up the stalks, until, as before, all but 
two inches of the tips are covered. The boy moves 
along the row backward, facing the two men who are 
using the shovels ; as they finish one plant he grasps 
and bunches another, always having a plant in each 
hand. This method is a great time saver, and also 
enables the work to be done more neatly than where 
the plant has to be held while the dirt is drawn 
from a distance with the hoe. This earthing up should 
be repeated every two or three weeks until it is time 
to store the celery for the winter. Immediately be¬ 
fore banking, I run the light plow or the cultivator 
on each side of the row, which furnishes plenty of 
fine, loose dirt ready for use. The soil will pack bet¬ 
ter and remain in the banked form better if it is moist 
when handled, but must not be so wet as to be sticky, 
for it would then “ rust ” or spot the stalk. The 
plants should be set in rows five or six feet apart, so 
that there may be plenty of soil for the earthing up 
and room to pass between the rows when banked; 
the taller growing varieties will require full six feet 
between the rows. 
About the third week in November the celery 
