April 9.. 1904. 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
305 
Celery. 
Presuming part of the crop hasi been sown and is now well 
on in the seed-pan, boxes should be well drained and filled with, 
a rich compost which has a fair amount of sifted well-rotted 
manure added, and the seedlings pricked off 3 in. apart; or, if 
a frame is vacant and a similar mixture placed on a layer of 
dung and well up to the glass, it will suit even better than the 
boxes; but of course the boxes in the long run have the advan¬ 
tage of giving an earlier use of the frame by being removed 
to a sheltered position to finally harden off, and as well serve 
a better means of removing the plants to their permanent 
quarters as planting them out of the boxes saves extra hand¬ 
ling, which is important with Celery. 
I think it an excellent plan, and one which goes a long way 
to keep up a. good long supply of this much-demanded vegetable, 
to choose plants from tliree sowings made about, three weeks 
apart; making the first about the middle of February, the 
first will come in early and the last keep till well on in the 
spring. 
Apart from watering, Celery is much easier to manage in 
light soils than it is in soils of a. heavy nature, and in the latter 
case the “ earthing-up ” process must be done carefully and 
judiciously, as one has slugs, worms and rot to guard against.. 
Either of these spoil and disfigure Celery to. a great extent, the 
former and latter sometimes rendering it almost useless.; and 
for the benefit of those who are sufferers in, that way I will here 
state my method of overcoming these evils to> a great extent. 
From the time the seeds germinate they are. never allowed 
to suffer from want of water, nor must they. The first lot is 
pricked off in a box; those later in a frame and closed in early 
in the afternoons after watering overhead till they are. well on 
the move, when they are then gradually hardened off and 
exposed to warm rains. 
Meantime the trenches are taken out to a depth of 18 in. 
and 1 ft. wide, the soil thrown, up to a height of 6 in., there to 
remain ; a quantity of well-rotted dung, with some soil inter¬ 
mixed, is put in the trenches to the depth of 6 in. and covered 
with about. 3 in. of the surface soil from the remaining part of 
the break and made firm to receive the plants. 
A dull day is chosen to put out. the plants, and a. good water¬ 
ing given them, and if the' weather continues diy that operation 
is repeated, and the watering given just previous to the first 
earthing is liquid manure. 
To supply material for earthing-up I save all the fine ashes 
from -j-in. sieve, and all the fine soil from the potting bench, 
flower-boxes, or any other source until I have a good heap, 
and before mixing add a quantity of soot, and incline to have 
the heap for the most part ashes. Before putting it round the 
Celery I tie all the stems moderately firm together with a piece 
of old matting, this very soon breaking after “ earthing-up ” is 
done. When “ earthing-up,” excepting the early trench and 
on the last occasion, the soil is never raised above the heart.; 
with the early trench it is not so ready to do injury unless care¬ 
lessly done; but. with the later trenches it is very important 
not to overearth until done for the last time, the local condi¬ 
tions determining the time when this should be done. 
After this operation is completed, to those who can get the 
timber I advocate a protector for the ridge, made with two. 9-in. 
boards made in, this shape /\, to be placed over the plants to 
keep the water from seeking into the hearts. I also advocate 
one row in a trench unless room is scarce. 
Blanching is done in, many ways, but I think the blanch pro^ 
duced with the natural process the most perfect, and the use 
of the ashy mixture has proved a good remedy against the 
ravages of slugs and worms, and at the present time (March 
Hth) I am lifting excellent Celery. Besides, the use of the 
ashy mixture serves a double purpose., a| when the Celery is 
all out the trench can be again thrown out, the contents spread 
over the break, and at digging time the trench can be levelled 
in. A lot of labour is caused by this, but when well spent it. 
is not lost, as badly-managed Celery, more so. than other 
vegetables, is not at. all presentable. J. K. B. 
Lilium candidum. 
Probably the White Lily is the oldest, and most widely 
popular of the cultivated Lilies. It is true that L. longiflorum 
and its varieties are grown in much greater numbers, but their 
popularity is quite recent compared with the White Lily of 
Europe. Besides the latter name it is also known as the Bour¬ 
bon Lily, St. Joseph’s Lily, and the Madonna. Lily. 
There are two. chief difficulties in connection with the cul¬ 
tivation of this Lily—namely, the disease which attacks and 
ruins it in many gardens, and the liability to. injury by lifting 
the bulbs at unseasonable times of the year. The liability to 
disease may be largely due to> the interference with the roots 
The White Lily (Lilium candidum!. 
of the plant at a time when it- may be growing, or should be. 
It throws up leaves in the autumn which remain all the winter, 
and that is good evidence that the bulbs have also, made roots, 
and no disturbance should be given them at that time. 
Soane of our correspondents have sent, us information about 
their White Lilies which would indicate that the plants thrive 
best, or at all events successfully, when the bulbs are near 
the surface of the soil. The accompanying illustration was 
taken a.t Kew last, year, when the numerous clumps of this 
species were in splendid condition, and finer, in fact, than they 
had been for many years 'previously. We believe this was due 
to the planting of the bulbs at no great distance below the 
surface, and leaving them there in the same position for at least 
two consecutive years. 
Our illustration was taken merely to show the top of one 
