Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1862-04-16
-aw Fine Celery.

To o. vegetables shoni,
Every one who gro.- the very best
make an effort to have them ., 'Rnche6,
quality. Oae good celery plant, well ~ re
crisp, ard Of fine nutty hsver..is worth nlU-
for use than 3 dozen poor plants. To all anna
teurs who wish 10 grow fine celery, either for
consumption or exhibition, We conmend the
following:
To PRODUCE VERY FINE CELERY.-Hither-
to have only treated of this vegetable so as
10 produce an ordinarily good sample and in
way that will pay the market-gafdener;
bat lift be desirable to have extra quality and
the largest size, some difference should be
made in the culture. Celery will feed freely
on very rich manures if judiciously applied,
but not otherwise; and the best time to use
such is during active growth, and after the
greatest heat Of summer is past: There is no
difficulty in obtaining heads of eight to ten
pounds weight and in some instances even
more, If the following directions be adopted:
Raise the plants, and plant out as before di-
rectsd, with the exception of the trenches,
which should be opened wider, and about hall
rs much more well-r0tted manure added.
When tTife advanced in size, and growing
fast, place a few inches Of fresh ''maiden"
earth alongside Of the stalk; and If there Is
hog pen at hand, procure quantity OF the
drsinings and slush, fresh as il is, convey 1t to
your rows Of celery, and after raising small
ridge on side and away short distance from
the plants along the row, pour it on the sur
face. Take care that this does net come too
rear the stalks, NJ 1t will most Sssurediy rot
them and do not mutilste the roots, or thoy
will he destroyed. Do not apply this or any
other strong manure during hot weather, or
the Iuxuriance will not bear the suns rays,
and the leaves will blister. A wet time is the
best for this hind of application; and in the
absence Of frequent rains, use water very free
ly. IL hog DRAWINGS arc not TO be had, a
good but not equal substance is dung hill
DRAWINGS, or GuaDo dissolved In water at the
rate Of fifteen gallons to one pound. III the
hog wash be used, one application will be
enough but Of the others, g repetition every
three or four days for three weeks will be ne
cessGIy. The after -soiling may proceed as be-
fore advised, with the exception that il defer
red longer the weight will be greater.
ID may be thought that this is strong dose;
but VIC must recollect that it is only applied
whom growth is most active, and the plants
under favorable circumstances rs to tempera-
tuTe; and most vegetables will flourish at this
period with manure Of SO rich a nature as 10
kill them at other times. 1t is for a want of
knowledge on this very point, that so much
mischief is frequently done in this way What
Is here advised has often been done in my own
practice, when wishing to obtain extraordins-
~ r1hts and has answered the purposes for
which il was intended.
The following criteris will show what first
rate head OF celery is, and how it ought to ap-
pear on the exhibition table. The weight ms
be from six TO ten pounds. 1t should be taken
up with the roots preserved, End clearly wash
ed. Tae external form should correspond il
length 10 girth-not short and thick, nor long
aid slender. The base Immediately above the
roots ought to be nicely roundcd-not bulged
nor split; the stalks solid, brittle, straight
perpendicular to the base, with the leafct
confined Is the upper part, leaving the stem
clear below. The blanchiHg should extend il
the second inner row Of stalks up to Il ne leaves
and TO the base Of the outer ones; all inside o
this ought to be clear and eatsble, and procee;
IN the middle nearly 70 the top of the leaves
the whole available substance for use bein;
about one-half the entire bulk. There ough
not 10 be any spots or fIeckles Of any kind Of
any part, nor the least sponginess or hollow
ness. If a white variety, the bleaching shoul'
be perfectly white; and if q red, of a clea
whitish- pink, shading of to white in the hear
Such is a first rate head Of celery; and hop
that more attention will begin to be paid q
exhibitions to better standard of excellenc
in vegetables, for there is yet much room 70
Improvement.