The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1881-06-15
Culture Of Celery.

Celery needs rich, friable, deep soil,
and much moisture. It is very lmpa-
tient of any check. The best of treat
ment will not restore plants that have
been once stunted to a condition of
free, tender growth until much time
has been lost, and the season probably
passed. It grows very slowly at first,
and does not endure transplanting we'll
when large. So, as it must have the
whole season in order to attain large
size-growing best when the air is
rather cool and humid-it is customary
to SOW the seed in O small bed or frame
in May, to set the plants out, four
inches apart, as soon as they can be
handled, and then lifting them to their
final rows, where they must be MUCK
further apart, in ground that has been
we'll MANFRED for some such early crop
as potatoes, onions or peas. The hot
weather which ripens these also stops
the growth of the celery. During this
partial rest-in July--the celery plants
can be lifted each with q good ball, or
else carried with the roots in water or
otherwise moist; and then, if set neatly
and rapidly, and watered freely, they
will grow on without dropping, and the
barbarous practice of covering them
completely dark with boards need not
be %resorted to. II there are slugs is
the soil, set bran to attract them to
their death, or keep the surface rough
and dusty, impossible to them by fire.
quent strewing of sifted dry coal ashes
or charred rubbish.
In growing the large sorts there IS
much advantage in setting them in COM
pact rows-generally a double row,
plants six inches apart-in the bottom
of q narrow trench. Here they have
cooler and moister air through August,
and when the stems are large enough to
be earthed up in order to blanch them
it is done with less earth and labor. But
the soil must be deep and rich, for it IS
absolutely necessary that the roots have
prime soil to extend into. Fine friahle
soil or sifted ashes is necessary for the
earthing up. It must only surround the
stems, and not come in the way of the
new leaves shooting up out of tie cen
trail plumule. Little rings of tin, Of
two or three inches diameter for me.
dunn sized sorts, are convenient to hold
the stems erect for they naturally in
cline to spread, and are apt to break if
bent much. The rings guide them up
ward, and are easily slipped higher
when earthing, saving time and trouble.
The earthing should be deferred until a
good growth has been made, yet 1t
must he done while there is yet two OF
three weeks of September or October
growth, as neither the leaves nor the
stems whiten merely by being kept i'll
the dark-warm and growth are requi"
site for it. Celery stored in a dark
cellar at a low temperature
(iust above freezing) will come
out with the leaves of as fine a green
as when put in, and stems equally I'M
changed. A grower on a large scale
keeps his celery by leaving the middle
of three or five rows stand in place,
ridgcd up. The rows on each side are
dug about November l, and the plants
set leaning against the ridge of the
middle row, with tops down. The whole
is covered with soil. Manure or straw
is added before December, and boards
may cover all. The plants dug and re-
versed come out with leaves green and
stems entire-in better order than the
row left in place, in which there may
be, here and there, q plant touched
with rot. Although celery wants much
moisture while growing, it cannot en-
dure wet while in its winter sleep, either
either about tho feet or head.-Ne
I 0rk Tribune.