The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-02-08
PLANTER AND FARMER.
USEFUL NOTES or INTEREST TO AG-
RICULTURisTs.

Tho Culture OF the Celery Plant in the South
ern states.-How n Very Superior Article
Can be Raised with Little Expense and
without Much Labor.
DR.. L. n. Elliott contributes the following
article on celery culture TO a late number Of
Home and Farm:
have raised celery for many years in Mis-
sissippi, Kentucky and Ohio. and have always
succeeded in raising a superior article with
very little labor And first, as TO the variety
10 lie planted. the self-bleaching kinds are the
best. / prefer "Hcnderson's White Plume"
A black clay soil, or even well-drained
marsh, is preferred, as celery loves a damp
soil. The ground should previously have
been well MANFRED and thoroughly cultivated
% free il from weed seeds. Pulverize it deep
and thoroughly in the spring, and rake, level
and smooth.
seed-bcd one foot apart. Prepare drill by
boring with q round awl hole from the IN
side of a small tin can lust large enough to let
one seed through OF "a time when Jared, tack
this to broom handle about q yard long
Garry this close above your drill mark, tap
ping the end Of the stick % make the seed
i y
faster you tap. the thicker YOU Will plant the
seed Then give the drills a good watering
with a fine sprinkler This covers the seed
deep enough If the weather should be dry
repeat il rs often as necessary.
As soon as the plants can be seen IN the
drills shave off with q sharp hoe the surface
of the middles close up to the line of plants,
and rs soon as weeds appear IN the drills
fngcr-weed them out, and thin the plants Il
YOU have drilled too thick. No two plants
should be nearer than an inch apart. II TINS
is well done the main trouble IS over and you
will have no need TO transplant. and viii have
a good crop of early stOcky plants.
To grow these plants have your ground rich
and well pulverized at least a full spade deep,
as celery has a long tap root and will 60 deep
20 find moisture Lay of the rows by line
one foot apart and plant with drill 1--WE or
six inches apart in the row and Lrm the son
well about the plants. II the weather - diy
give a half pint of water % each plant ana
then cover the wet spot with dry soil TO pre-
vent baking Cultivate shallow, root our
weeds keep the surface loose and iriaoie. il
Won should have a drought yuu must lrngate.
a. celery viii not grow well without plenty OIL
water.
When about six inches high it viii need
handling: that is the outside leaves wmch
tend to spread ont on the ground must be
raised up and supported 10 prepare IL LOT
blanching To DO this, run "a handplow, with
q narrow bull-tongue, gently between the
rows: this rolls the soil under the leaves and
lifts them up. This may be done two or three
times. till the leaves generally stand straight
up. A four-inch garden hoe, with pointed
back. NAV DE used instead of the plow
Provide planks about three-foul.hs as wide
rs the celery is high. Place one Oh each SIDE
Of a row about four inches apart and fastcn
them perpeudicul1uly with stakes driven INTO
the ground. This brings the stalks close
enough to make them blanch beautifully ana
as there is no soil piled against them. they
show no SIGN Of rust. but come out White ana
clear. which is not often the case when earthed
up in the usual manner BY adopting tins
system Of close planting and of blancmng
four times Is much celery may he grown ON
the same ground with less than one-tenth OF
the labor. / always utilize the secdbed IN
raising the celery after / have removed the
plants If there are any rows LETT IN the seed
bed after my sale OF plants Is over, bhnch
them with plauks as they stand. have now
"A number of rows standing IN the garden.
For winter celery do not blanch 1t until put
in the trench aud protected from freezing, COW
cred with straw and leaves, or put IN the
cellar between planks in the usual manner.