The Press., 1897-10-28
CULTURE OF CELERY.
KALAMAZOO RECOGNIZED AS ONE OF
 ITS CHIEF cENTERs.

the Vicinity of This Michigan Town-va-
 rying Claims as to the Profits of Celery
 Growing.
 Kalamazoo celery is so we'll known in every part of this country that the name is used for all the better kinds of eel cry, and, like Blue Point oysters and Little Neck clans, the guarantee con- tained in the name sells the article to the exclusion of other brands. The ex- oellence 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 re- zion.
 The celery meadows are just outside of the town of Kalan azoo, north and south of the city, and surrounded by hills, divided crosswise by high ridge, on which the houses are built The meadows are about three miles long and mile wide. These bottom lands are not common farming lands, but are 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 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, rec ognizing the peculiar value of the muck soil for celery. He owned one of the earliest celery farms, and it is re- ported that he amassed fortune from the business before it was injured by competition.
 In recent years the output has been so enormous that prices have dropped from 90 cents to 10 cents per dozen, and many growers have been complain ing. The seasons of 1892-S were com paratively poor ones, and number of the growers left their farms to engage l in the same business in the suburbs of New York, but they soon returned to their home town. The growers are near l ly all Hollanders, and they live in dwellings on their small holdings, which generally consist of from five to ten acres. They are frugal, industrious race, and they adopt the most advanced system of intensive farming. Five acres here easily support an ordinary 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 a little of this to the industry of the celery growers. The amount of eel cry shipped from the city varies from year to year, but a conservative esti- mate places the average quantity at 60 tons per day from July to Jan. 1. This would mean about 3, 500, 900 doz- ems, and at 70 cents per dozen this would amount to $36O, 900. As this is a very low estimate, one is almost safe in say ing that the industry nets the town at least $5OO,O 900 year.
 The punches of celery are packed in wooden boxes and shipped to commits | sion men. The boxes are made in the town, giving employment to 8 number of mechanics. They are about the size of peach crate, S4 inches long, 16 inches wide and to inches deep.
 Fertilizers are now used freely upon the already rich bottom lands, and ev- cry time grower takes load of celery into the town he brings back load of fertilizer. It is claimed that four crops of celery are raised in one season on the land, but this is not literally true. The farmers make four plantings, which mature from July to December, but these can hardly be called four crops. The first planting is made early, and as this celery must be bleached with boards it is an inferior grade The old saying is that celery is not fit to eat until after the first frost, and in a sense this is true, but modern conditions of our markets demand that celery shall be ready for use all the year round. The southern growers send it north early in summer, and since people will buy this vegetable out of season the Kalamazoo growers begin to send their product to the cities much earlier than five years ago.
 The question of profit in celery grow ing is disputed one, and, like straw berry farming, there are stories current of farmers making $500 per acre, while others claim that if they make $50 per acre they are doing well. At Greentown, O., where the largest celery farm under the control of one man is located, the profits are said to average between $20O and $40O per acre. There are nearly 100 acres planted with celery on that farm, and if these figures are correct the own CT has every reason to believe that farm ing does pay. Like the Kalamazoo eel cry lands, the soil at Greentown. O., is exceedingly rich and we'll adapted to the culture of the celery plant But even so, cheap labor must be employed to make the farm pay anything like $500 or $4OO per acre. Here in Kalama- zoo the growers believe that $1OO and $S0O per acre is good profit, and 8 man with ten acres of soil need not suffer greatly with such an income. Six years ago the same land could have made profits of $4OO per acre, but then the growers were receiving just twice as much for their celery as they are to- day. Cor. New York Post