The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-05-25
Short Chapters O. Vegetable Culture.


Hcation. but as an evidence OF good faith.
Short Chapters O. Vegetable Culture.
CELERY.
This vegetable and caulifower are the
u,st difficult to grow under our southern
sun, and there is comparatively little first
class celery grown IN the south. What is
grown is mostly by German or other foreign
Gardeners, who are more painstaking with
Tneir work than native gardeners usually
are. To do well in our climate, as in any
otber, celery must have deep, moist soil,
and in our section it is only here and there
small areas are found that are really adapted
70 its successful growth.
There are certain localities In the
limited States where the climate and soil are
exactly suited to the very highest develop
meut of the celery plant, and
the indications are that these
localities will be able TO make
of celery culture supplying this most health
ful and delightful vegetable to consumers
thousands of miles away from
where it is groves. The development
of Gallery culture has already attained ire
mendous proportions in the lake regions of
the northwest. but the area devoted to the
crop is being greatly enlarged every year.
years celery from these fields will be put
upon the most distant markets in this
country at prices low enough TO warrant its
steady use by all classes of person who like
it and appreciate its medicinal virtue, for
such it does possess. The prices will be
so low that competition from southern local
tiles will be impossible. except perhaps, in
circumscribed areas and exceptional ln-
stances-that is, SO far as first class quail
ity for general commercial purposes is con-
cerned.
A plant so useful as celery should be
grown to some extent. however, in every
home garden where the soil is fairly suited
to the purpose. For seas oning purposes 1t
is very handy TO have 1t ready at hand,
evea though not of best quality. The old>
time way OF growing 1t was to set tine
plants il deep trenches. The tall growing
sorts were used almost altogether. This
plan has been greatly modified of late years
and the coarse, tall, half-hollow sorts en-
tirey discarded along with the deep
trenches. The tall varieties that are grown
now in the northwest are crisp aud solid.
Since the discovery of the "White Plume"
and Golden Dwarf varieties along with a
few others similar to these, including very
desirable red variety, celery growing has
become much more simplified. These dwarf
kinds are set on a level or at most in very
broad shallow burrows with the rows four
factory plan now in the home gardens is
the bed plan, accomplis ing what little
blanching is necessary with the use of pine
or other straw. Beds three TO four feet
wide and as long as necessary are deeply
broken, Inanured and well pulverized, and
the plants set ten or twelve inches apart
each way in the bed. These beds are not
not raised at all, but are merely laid off on
the level with walks two feet wide between
the beds it there are more than one. In
manuring these beds il is quite important
that no,coarse unfe mented manure be used.
Something that is mild in its action and
not likely to fire or burn the plant should
be used. Good old compost that has been
frequently worked over should be thoroughly
Incorporated with the soil. This, supple
mented with fair application of bone
dust and little nitrate of soda, if neces-
sary, will put almost any loamy soil in first
class condition for growing celery.
As with Strawberries, plenty of water is
desideratum with celery, and if not pro-
vlded in proper quantity and at proper
times the crop cannot be perfect success.
however rich the soil may be. Celery is
strictly marsh plant and demands, conn.,
pared with most vegetables, a vast amount
OF moisture steadily during its period Of
growth. 1t requires for its best develop
ment moist bottom soils that are usually
such soil as is secured by draining
marshes, similar to those in the vi
cinitv of Kalamazoo. Mich. In hot
weather the evaporation of water from
celery leaves is very great, and unless this
loss is promptly made good sudden check
is given to the plant. Ii this moisture is
withheld for many days the plants receive
setback, from which they recover slowly.
1t requires great care and watchfulness to
grow the crop successfully on our uplands,
and my observation leads me to believe that
the majority of gardeners with us, both
amateur and professional. soon or late con-
clude that the crop costs more than it comes
to. taking the seasons as they come.
Our summer and autumn droughts which
occur at one time or another almost every
year present very unfavorable conditions
for successful celery culture, and it is only
those who have good soil and have facilities
for irrigation and adopt the mulch system
that can hope to make a fair success with
celery growing. Under these favorable
circumstances, with intensive management,
it can be done, but hardly otherwise. We
are very careful in writing of celery not to
write enthusiastically as to the prospects of
success, for we do not desire to mislead any
one with the idea that it is very easy
thing to secure. 1t requires nicer manage
ment than the majority of southern-born
Sa4uouoIS arc WlllluS W dtSOtQ
For the first or summer crop the seeds are
sown in well prepared cold frames in Janu-
airy, and fine, stocky plants obtained for
transplanting to the beds during March
AS before stated, these are set 10 or II inches
each way on the bed, pressing the soil firmly
about the roots and watering the same. As
soon as they take good hold upon the soil
the cultivation is pushed for month or
more. In the meanwhile supply of pine
straw is provided, and some six or eight
weeks after setting out and
Just after a soaking rain
the bed is thoroughly mulched. The plants
are Strengthened up and the st aw put
closely around the plants and between them
to the depth of six inches or more, only
leaving the tops of the celery plants ex-
posed. Rains may occur seasonably enough
TO insure the success Of the crop. If not it
VIII be great help to give the bed copious
watering If the soil gets too dry, which it
Is not very apt to do. Under q good mulch,
unless the dry spell is very protracted, this
first crop is easy enough to grow.
The second and fer more valuable crop Is
grown from plants set out in August. The
seeds must be sown as early as May and the
plants kept back as much as possible, so that
they VIII not get too large before August.
The same plan should be pursued with this
planting as with the first To secure plants
for this second crop seeds should be sown on