254 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
September  10,  1896. 
CLEAN  CELERY. 
In  numerous  instances  the  rows  of  Celery  are  strong  and  well 
grown,  only  to  be  much  damaged  and  disfigured  by  slugs.  Where 
only  just  the  heart  is  used  it  does  not  so  much  matter,  but  even 
these  are  sometimes  reached  by  slugs,  and  none  of  us  likes  to  lee 
much  mutilated  Celery  lifted.  If  the  whole  or  only  a  portion  of 
the  crop  is  marketed  there  is  still  greater  necessity  for  protecting 
the  outer  stalks  in  some  way,  as  all  who  buy  Celery  like  to  have 
plenty  for  their  money,  the  value  of  each  “  stick "  being  decided 
according  to  the  bulk  of  blanched  outer  stalks  rather  than  the 
quality  of  the  heart. 
After  trying  various  systems  of  growing  Celery,  more  especially 
as  regards  the  size  of  trenches  and  the  number  of  rows  that  can  be 
grown  in  each,  I  have  long  since  arrived  at  the  conclusion  that 
single  rows  are  the  most  profitable  in  the  end,  as  it  is  possible  to 
grow  nearly  as  many  plants  in  that  way  as  can  be  done  when 
double  lines  are  placed  in  a  single  trench  ;  not  only  can  the  finest 
Celery  be  grown  in  single  rows,  but  these  can  also  be  more  easily 
earthed  and  better  protected  from  slugs  than  can  two  or  more 
rows  in  a  trench.  According  to  my  experience  heavy  or  moderately 
heavy  lands  can  with  very  little  trouble  be  made  to  produce  Celery 
of  the  beat  quality,  but  unfortunately  such  soils  are  invariably  the 
most  infested  with  slogs.  It  is  therefore  in  the  process  of  earthing 
that  the  greatest  judgment  must  be  exercised  and  the  greatest 
pains  taken,  or  what  would  have  been  very  fine  Celery  will  be 
completely  marred  quite  early  in  the  season. 
In  the  first  place  it  is  a  mistake  to  be  in  too  great  a  hurry  to 
complete  the  earthing,  this  giving  the  slugs  good  shelter  and  plenty 
of  time  to  «poil  the  stalks.  When  the  plants  are  well  advanced  and 
growing  strongly,  enough  soil  should  be  broken  down  and  well 
worked  round  the  plants,  this  acting  as  a  mulch  and  also  serving 
to  prevent  the  outer  leaves  assuming  a  horizontal  position.  Two 
other  earthings  ought  to  be  sufficient.  If  the  second  is  given  before 
the  hearts  are  far  advanced  the  mass  of  earth  wedged  against  the 
Stalks  will  effectually  check  their  proper  development.  Better, 
therefore,  to  underdo  rather  than  overdo  it.  The  final  earthing  up 
must  be  done  before  severe  frosts  are  anticipated,  and  only  the 
very  latest  ought  to  be  left  till  early  in  November.  The  ridges 
enclosing  the  Celery  should  be  finished  neatly,  so  as  to  throw  off 
as  much  water  as  possible,  and  if  only  the  best  portion  of  the 
leaves  is  unburied  a  moderately  severe  frost  will  do  but  little 
harm. 
Having  briefly  alluded  to  the  manner  of  and  time  for  earthing, 
it  yet  remains  to  be  told  how  the  Celery  is  to  be  kept  clean  ;  that 
is  to  say,  but  slightly  disfigured  by  slugs.  Where  only  a  small 
number  of  plants  is  grown  the  simplest  plan  for  preserving  and 
effectually  blanching  the  stalks  of  these  is  either  to  enclose  each 
plant  in  a  5-inch  drain  pipe  or  to  wrap  them  round  with  two  or 
more  folds  of  strong  brown  paper.  The  former  mast  be  set  over 
the  plants  fairly  early,  or  when  the  leaves  can  be  passed  through 
without  being  damaged,  but  the  brown  paper  may  yet  be  used. 
Paper  collars  can  be  purchased,  and  these  answered  very  well.  These 
fastened  with  hooks  and  eyes,  but  the  strips  of  brown  paper  used 
as  good  substitutes  for  the  collars  require  to  be  fastened  with 
strips  of  raffia.  They  must  not  be  too  tightly  bound  round  the 
stalks,  or  the  hearts  will  be  unduly  confined,  and  both  paper  or 
pipe-covered  plants  should  be  earthed-up  for  the  winter,  the  first 
soil  being  worked  in  early,  and  a  final  earthing  given  after  the 
plants  are  fully  grown.  Few  need  to  be  told  that  Celery  requires 
plenty  of  rich  food  and  moisture  at  the  roots,  and  deferring 
earthing-up  admits  of  liquid  manure  or  water  being  applied  quite 
late  in  the  season.  In  very  many  instances  the  Celery  is  much  too 
dry  at  the  roots  when  the  soil  is  placed  round  the  stalks*,  and  unhss 
the  autumn  is  exceptionally  wet  it  is  a  long  time  before  the  rains 
benefit  the  crop.  It  is  dryness  at  the  roots  that  more  often  than 
not  is  the  cause  of  premature  bolting  or  running  to  seed,  few  being 
aware  or  taking  the  trouble  to  ascertain  that  the  soil  underneath 
could  possibly  be  so  dry  with  so  much  earth  on  the  top  of  it.  Even 
in  a  wet  season  we  have  found  it  necessary  to  give  the  rows  of 
Celery  a  good  soaking  of  water  prior  to  commencing  earthing-up,. 
If  this  were  necessary  in  our  case  it  mu.st  have  been  most 
imperative  where  the  subsoil  is  of  a  gravelly  nature,  ours  being 
solid  clay. 
Those  who  devote  much  ground  to  Celery  culture  cannot  afford 
to  coddle  it,  and  must  perforce  adopt  some  rough  and  ready  methods 
of  checking  the  slugs.  In  some  instances  a  liberal  application  of 
soot,  or  soot  and. lime  about  the  plants  and  among  the  soil,  as  it  ii 
worked  round  the  Celery,  helps  to  make  the  latter  distasteful  to 
the  slugs  and  the  quarters  too  hot  for  them.  Soot  especially  is  a 
good  fertiliser,  and  though  those  who  prepare  the  Celery  for  the 
table  grumble  at  having  it  so  black,  it  ought  jet  to  be  extensively 
used.  On  light  soils  a  sprinkling  of  salt  is  also  a  preventive  of 
slugs  and  acts  as  a  fertiliser,  but  it  must  not  come  into  contact 
with  the  leaves.  The  surest  way  of  keeping  Celery  clean  is  to 
quite  surround  the  stalks  with  fine  burnt  clayey  soil  or  sifted  ashes 
from  coal  fires.  Both,  in  moderation,  greatly  improve  heavy  land, 
and  the  process  of  surrounding  the  Celery  with  them  is  not  so 
tedious  a»  might  at  first  sight  appear.  It  need  not  be  used  at  the 
first  eartbing-up,  and  enough  may  be  worked  in  at  the  second  time 
to  quite  answer  the  purpose  for  which  it  is  added .  The  first  pro¬ 
ceeding  should  be  to  well  gather  the  outer  stalks  together  so  as  to 
effectually  shut  out  any*  soil  or  rubbish  from  the  hearts,  the  ties 
being  made  rather  high  up,  or  where  they  can  be  loosened  again. 
A  long  board  of  any  width  may  next  be  set  on  each  side  of  and 
nearly  close  to  the  rows  of  Celery,  and  kept  in  position,  if  need  be, 
with  stakes  fixed  inside.  Against  the  boards  bank  up  the  soil,  and 
then  fill  in  the  space  kept  by  the  boards  with  either  the  burnt  soil 
or  ashes.  The  boards  may  then  be  drawn  op,  refixed,  and  a  second 
layer  of  soil  and  other  material  added  as  before,  or  this  may  be 
delayed,  if  the  Celery  is  backward,  for  another  ten  days.  All  may 
be  finally  banked  over  with  soil.  Thus  treated,  the  Celery  is  less 
liable  to  decay  during  a  cold  wet  winter,  and  invariably  turns  out 
clean  and  good. 
I  ought  perhaps  to  add  it  is  of  the  greatest  importance  that  the 
heart  be  always  well  protected  with  the  outer  stalks  while  the 
possess  of  moulding  up  is  going  on,  and  this  can  be  done  either  by 
lightly  tying  them  up  with  raffia  or  strips  of  matting,  which  must 
be  taken  off  again,  or  one  person  may  hold  the  stalks  together 
while  others  are  chopping  down  and  working  in  the  soil. — 
A  Grower. 
EUCRYPHIA  PINNATIFOLIA. 
Flowering  shrubs  for  the  garden  are  ever  appreciated,  as  they  lend 
such  a  charm  and  such  a  change  from  the  green  that  so  frequently 
preponderates.  Of  course  many  dozens  are  reprfsented  in  various 
gardens,  but  the  one  of  which  we  give  an  illsstration  (fig.  60)  is  all  too 
rarely  seen.  It  is  by  no  means  a  new  plant,  having  been  introduced 
into  this  country  from  Chili  as  long  ago  as  1880,  and  yet  when  it  was 
exhibited  at  one  of  the  summer  meetings  of  the  Royal  Horticultural 
Society  at  the  Drill  Hall  by  Messrs.  Jas.  Veitch  &  Sons,  Chelsea,  from 
their  nursery  at  Coombe  Wood,  it  attracted  an  exctptional  share  of 
attention  by  reason  of  the  beauty  both  of  its  flowers  and  its  evergreen 
leaves.  Some  doubts  were  expressed  as  to  its  hardiness,  but  we  were 
informed  by  an  excellent  authority  that  no  fear  need  be  held  on  that 
score,  in  the  southern  and  western  counties  at  any  rate,  and  perhaps 
correspondents  who  have  had  experience  with  it  in  more  northern 
districts  will  forward  their  experiences  for  the  benefit  of  our  other 
readers. 
As  will  be  seen  by  a  glance  at  the  excellent  wood  engraving,  for 
which  we  are  indebted  to  Messrs.  J.  Veitch  &  Sons,  the  flowers  are 
of  considerable  size,  while  in  colour  they  are  of  a  pure  white.  We 
commend  this  shrub  to  the  notice  of  intending  planters  as  one  of  great 
beauty  and  utility, 
OSBERTON  SCARLET  TOMATO. 
Having  periodically  visited  Osberton  during  the  past  eighteen  years 
I  was  much  interested  in  “  A  Morning  at  Osberton,”  page  204,  and 
having  since  then  had  the  pleasure  of  a  walk  round  these  beautiful 
gardens  I  was  much  struck  on  seeing  the  above  Tomato  as  grown  there. 
The  plants  under  notice  are  growing  in  10  inch  pots  on  a  south  wall  irr 
the  open  air  without  any  protection  whatever-  They  are  13^  feet  in 
height,  and  are  wreathed  with  fruit  ,  averaging  eleven  trusses  of  from 
three  to  six  fruitb  to  a  truss.  I  weighed  some  of  the  fruit,  and  they 
turned  the  scale  at  half  a  pound.  They  are  perfectly  smooth,  and  of 
good  colour. 
About  ten  years  ago  I  called  on  the  late  Mr.  Woods,  the  talented 
gardener  who  was  then  at  Oiberton,  and  remarked  on  a  fine  batch  of 
Tomatoes  then  growing  in  pots  in  one  of  the  bouses,  and  in  answer  to 
my  query  said  it  was  a  relection  of  his,  and  that  he  grew  no  other.  It 
was  then  slightly  corrugated.  Since  then  it  has  improved,  and  is  now 
as  round  as  a  cricket  ball.  Mr.  Grasp  does  not  claim  the  credit  of 
raising  the  fine  variety,  but  with  a  view  of  making  it  better  known  he 
lately  exhibited  it  before  the  Committee  of  the  R.H.S.,  who  wished  to 
have  it  grown  at  Chiswick, 
That  it  is  a  sterling  variety  I  have  no  doubt,  judging  from  the 
appearance  of  it  at  Osberton,  and  I  question  very  much  if  there  is  a 
better  batch  of  outdoor  Tomatoes  in  the  country  at  the  present  moment. 
I  hope  Mr,  Crasp  will  decide  to  distribute  it,  so  that  others  may  have 
the  benefit  of  it,  as  w’hen  one  meets  with  a  good  thing  it  is  as  well  to 
make  a  note  of  it,  so  thought — One  op  the  Craft. 
[We  have  received  from  Mr.  T.  H.  Crasp  a  photo  of  this  magnificent 
Tomato  wall,  but  it  is  unfortunately  unsuitable  for  reproduction.] 
