The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1885-09-18
CELERY

II
The growing crop should be kept we
cultivated, clean and free from weeds
until about the 1st of September, whel
we usually have the moist and Coo
atmosphere which is so essential Il
the growth of celery, and then we cal
begin the earthing up for the blanchins
and whitening of that portion of the
crop which is wanted for use during the
fall months.
/ Ibe flrst operation, which is termed
handling" consists in drawing the
earth firmly with the hoe to each side
OF the celery, SO as to keep the leaves in
an upright position and give them an
upward growth, preparatory to their be-
ing 5lanched for use.
In about two weeks after being hand
led it will be ready for banking up to
the tops of the stalks with the spade on
each side of the row of celery. This
should not be done. however, when the
plants are wet from dew or rain, and
care should be taken to keep the leaf
stalks close together, so that no earth
can fall IN the center or between the
leaf stalks of the plant
Within three or four weeks after being
banked it will be ready for use, so that
if it is desired to have celery earlier in
the season it should be handled and
banked accordingly. But if the celery
is desired for winter use, and it is stored
away IN trenches or In the cellar, all that
1T requires is the operation of handling,
and this can be repeated as often as the
plants seem to require it.
do not know of any better method
OF preserving celery during the winter
season than that recommended by Mr..
Peter Henderson in his excellent work,
" Garden and Farm Topics" and from
which take the liberty of quoting as
follows "The best way to keep celery
for family use is to place it in a cool
cellar. 1t should be stored in narrow
boxes of the depth little less than the
height of the celery. A few inches oil
sand Or soil should be placed in the bot |
tom of the box, and the celery packed
upright. the roots being placed on the |
sand or soil at the bottom, but no sand |
or soil should be placed between the
stalks, all that is needed being the damp
sand on the bottom of the box, the mean |
ing of which is that before the celery |
will blanch or whiten it must first start |
at the root; hence, the necessity of plac- |
ing the roots on an inch or so of damn
sand. Boxes thus backed and placed |
in cool cellar early in November will |
be blanched and fit for use during
January or February. But the celery
intended for use later than this should
not be packed or brought inside until
there is danger Of sharp frost" If one
has no suitable cellar the celery can be |
easily preserved in the manner followed
by market gardeners. A trench is dug
about eight inches in width, and of a |
depth equal to the height of the celery, |
which should be ,.ecked in it exactly in
the manner described for storing in
boxes to be placed in the cellar-that is, |
1t should be made to stand as nearly up
right as possible, and packed as closely
together as can be done without bruising
it. After the trench is filled it should
be covered over with wooden shutters,
so placed as to prevent the plants from
becoming wet and the trench from be-
ing filled with water. AS the weather
becomes cold the shutters should be
gradually covered with leaves or litter
to the thickness ofseven or eight inches,
or enough to prevent freezing this will
enable it to be taken out when planted,
by commencing to take it out on one
end of the trench.
Great care should be taken to have
the ground in which il ia To he preserved
for winter use as dry as possible and so
arranged that no water can remain in
the trench, and let the winter covering
be placed on gradually, this last being a
very important point.
In conclusion I may be permitted to
say that, as far as my experience has
extended, I have found the red or pink
varieties to keep best, and advise that
they be SO placed in the trenches as to
be reserved for use during the late win
ter and early spring months.
CHAs. E. PARNELL.