Daily independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 188?-1915, 1897-05-12
A CELERY CENTER.
Town in Michigan Where the Es-
culent L. Largely Grown
What Some H~ollanders Have Accom-
plished Near Kalamazoo In BuId
ing Up q New In
dustry.

Kalamazoo celery is so well known in
every part of this. country that the
name is used for all the better kinds of
celery, and, like "Blue Point oysters"
and Little Neck clams,' the guarantee
contained in the name sells the article
to the exclusion of other brands. The
excellence of this celery is said to be
due to three things-good seed, dark,
heavy soil, and care in growing and
bleaching it. Careful packing might be
added. But as any gardener can select
good seed and give the plants good
culture, Kalamazoo must excel in the
soil or better natural conditions as a
celery region.
The celery meadows + just outside
of the town of Kalamazoo, north aAd
south of the city, and surrounded by
hills, divided crosswise by a high ridge,
on which the houses are built. The
meadows are about three miles long
and a mile wide. These bottom lands
are not common farming lands, but arc
composed of a peculiar form of black
muck, the result of vegetable decompo-
sition, and formerly they were so rich
that no fertilizers were needed. Not
more than q dozen years ago very little
celery was raised on these meadows,
and none for shipment to other mar
kets. Joseph Dunkly, the florist, was
one of the pioneers in the industry,
recognizing the peculiar value of the
muck soil for celery. He owned one
of the earliest celery farms, and it is
reported that he amassed a fortune
from the business before it was injured
by competition.
in recent years the output has been
s o enormous that prices have dropped
from 20 to 10 cents per dozen, and
many growers have been complaining.
The seasons of 1929 were compare
lively poor mes, and q number of the
growers left their farms to engage in
the same business in the suburbs of
New York, but they soon returned to
their home town. The growers arc
nearly all Hollandcrs, and they live in
dwellings on their small holdings,
which generally consist Of from five to
ten acres. They are a frugal, indus
trious race, and they adopt the most
advanced system of intensive farming.
Five acres here easily support an or
binary Holland family, and there is no
doubt but the head of it saves money.
The city of Kalamazoo is one of the
prettiest in the country, and it owes
not n little of this to the industry of the
celery growers. The amount of celery
shipped from the city varies from year
to year, but n conservative estimate
places the average quantity at 60 tons
per day from July 1 to January 1. This
would mean about 5000, 900 dozen, and
at ten cents per dozen, this would
amount to 100000. AS this is very low
estimate, one is almost safe in saying
that the industry nets the town at
least '$500,000 q year.
The punches of celery are packed in
wooden boxes and shipped to com.
mission men. The boxes are made in
the town, giving employment to anum.
Der of mechanics. They are about the
size Of q peach crate, 81 inches long, &c
inches wide, and 6 to 8 inches deep.
Fertilizers are now used freely upon
the already rich bottom lands, and
every time q grower takes q load OF
celery into the town he brings back
Z load of fertilizer. 1t is claimed that
four crops Of celery r raised in one
season OH the land, but this is not lit
orally true. The farmers make four
paintings, which mature from July tc
December, but these can hardly bt
called four crops. The first planting
is made early, and as this celery must
be bleached with boards 1t is an in,
ferior grade. The old saying is thai
! celery is not fit to eat until after tho
first frost, and in n sense this is true
but modern conditions of our market,
demand that celery shall be ready TO-
use all the year round. The southern
growers send it north early in sum
mer, and since people will buy this veg
etables out of season. the Kalamazoo
q rONyPrS bepin to srnl their Dro1nct IA