Virginia gazette. [volume] (Williamsburg, Va.) 1893-192?, 1898-01-22
WHERE CELERY is KING.
The CITY Or KALAMAZOO ENJOYS A
UNIQUE DISTINCTION.
Raising snd Selling Celery Has Become
It's Leading rndurtry-How Dutch
Emigrants Made Fortunes ous or Lands
That Were Considered Worthless.


Mich, writes a correspondent of the
Buffalo N. " Express. belongs the
honor of making smellage, popular
table relish under the name of celery. /
Celery, in turn, has made that city I
famous as the celery gardens OF the /
world; in fact, Kalamazoo Is now I
called the Celery City. This city, /
with its queer Indian name, was for I
years made the target of funny stories /
and minstrel songs. Situated on the
banks of the river Of the same name.
the city extends back on the hills, and
is acknowledged 20 be one Of the hand
soonest cities of its size in the United
States. The railroads enter kala-
mazoo along the river bottoms, which
extend for miles, and are the most
fertile lands north OF the Ohio River.
The soil is rich muck, and is from two
TO eight feet deep.
A stranger entering the city by rail
can distinguish the peculiar Odor of
celery gardens long before reaching
the town. During the growing season
II Is a pretty scene, long rows Of bright
green against black background.
/ Not weed or brush Is 20 be seen.
/ Bill I'VE said il reminded him OF an
Irish woman's black dress trimmed
with green braid.
Celery, as table delicacy, came iu-
10 existence in this way: Among the
early settlers locating In Kalamazoo,
was family direct from Holland.
named Blyker. Dem Blyker was It's
head. aud his father had accumulated
a fortune in the East India Company.
Other families followed and prospered
and finally quite r colony came over
OF the poorer class. At this time ia,
fats or river bottoms were considered
almost worthless lands. but were pre-
/ ferre1 by the Holland emigrants
Many little streams flow down tn
. hillside. and soon the lane near tn
city was parceled and divided int
small plats, like the lowlands OK TIA
. | Netherlands. II was Just like HON
I for them. except that here they sool
, could own their own farm. At frs
! onions and cabbage were raised IN
shipped out 70 other cities. In 1873
gardener named Van Haaften. raise
some smellage. which grew so rapid
on the rich muck bottoms that he ha
70 draw the dirt up against Il 10 kee
il standing. in the fall. when take
= out. it was fou.ia, 70 be bleached whit
\ and very brittle aud pnlatable- A san
pie box was sent to a Louisville hote
which bought his onions, for trial
a table relish. The instructions VIC
10 eat il as Won would radishes, WI
?, salt. and il was called Kalamazoo C.,
$ erv. instead Of smellage. The I'd
Re relish met with favor at once. and V
c. Haaften received orders for the rest
Il. his crop snd orders for the next yes
Dnious were that year an over-pl
et duction. while the Kalamazoo cele
OF sold for seventy-fve cents a doz
d. stalks
nd The next year the Van Haaften IN
OF ily planted their ground 20 celery a
ns made a great deal of money. In IA
all they paid for the land and bong
~, more from their first years sales. 1
n year following the whole Holland p'
ms ulation on the fats began 70 plant c
OF cry. Every leading hotel IN
lbs United States was ordering celery a
ats land that hal sold for $40 10 $40
'en acre increased tenfold.
or. Glen D. Stuart. q young busin'
led man. formerly from New York, saw I
res possibilities IN celery and began bu
nd ness a. celery shipper and soon
cal an immense trade. He was a Gle
me man, and bought whole gardens 1
to advanced money TO new gardeners.
'es, less than five years he was known
the the Celery King. and did quartz
en- O million dollars worth of busin
not shipping celery during the year.
cen In those days celery brought 8
igh price, and every available foot Of
raj, land was utilized To-day II i &
for mated that over 1000 Hollanders
as actively engaged IN celery cult
ses, and about 5000 acres Of the r
OF bottoms are devoted g. celery gard
4 III A million and half Of money Is
ate. 10 the growers of Kalamazoo Va
nth each year for their celery crop.
d IN This celery industry has develC
ront others, such as box factories, prin
laid Offices, celery medicine companies
TO a numerous concerns making celery
Of celery gum, celery cough drops, &C
bitters. celery pickles and chow-cl
nerve tonic, celery salt. celery =
and a score Of other preparations.
lille. All the trunk lines OF railroads
ton TO the celery trade and run specii