Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1902-08-04
CELERY CULTURE.

Less than 80 years ago the growth and
use OF this highly edible vegetable was
confined in the first place, 70 small To-
calfties In cultivation and In the second
place. TO the menu OF but few leading
hotels and the tables Of wealthy epicures.
The use OF celery at that time was al
most confined 10 the flavoring OF speciai
dishes. But within recent years ana es-
pecIally during the last two decades the
general use OF celery by the public as an
article OF food has increased so rapidly
that now Il Is raised IN large quantities
by leading market gardeners and snippeo
IN car load lots 70 all parts OF the country.
Celery has been developed by cultivation
from the plant termed in botany as the
Wild celery plant, found In the marshes o.
southern England. While celery does not
possess any great value as an article or
food IL IS highly regarded as a delicacy
and valuable for the nervous system. IN
the north the celery beds are ready from
the first OF June and shipments continue
on through the summer and fall, whle
IN the extreme south, celery ripens from
the middle OF December until the first OF
April. Thus. the plant cultivated In the
two extreme sections does not enter INTO
competition on the markets ana II mas
not proven profitable 10 store OF nolo
celery. The profitable growth OF celery
IN desirable locations has ceased 70 be
experimental and has become now a
vel established business. hence II Is Wen
enough for farmers and market gardeners
who reside IN the south Atlantic and gulf
states 20 give this vegetables more atten-
ton In the future as a money crop than
they have given TO IL in the past In
fact II Is needful 10 use all OF our re-
sources IN the development OF food pro-
ducts that have a good sale
Soil and Fertilizers.
In the cultivation and production OF
celery and what Is here meant Is urst
class. crisp article OF food. a rich. mel
low. sandy loan Is most desirable MUCK
Reds after being opened and drained have
also produced some OF the hnest crops
IN the whole country, especially around
lakes and ponds. The soil OF the seed
bsd should contain a quantity OF lear
mould ground up fine and mixed In Win
the sand, so as 20 hold the moisture and
furnish the necessary percentage OF
huuius-
IN the transplating beds. OF rows, the
Leaf mould IS not so necessary, but an
abundance OF well rotted stable manure
should be used Any good, fertile sandy
soft viii grow celery, IL located where
Ere land can either be kept moist by
natural or artificial methods. In clay
soils good celery can be grown BY heavy
auulicatIOns OF barnyRrd manure The
growth OF a heavy crop OF cowpeas on
the land, a year before planting, and turn
ing the crop under Is the best and
1nickest method OF furnishing the, soil
with an abundance OF nitrogen and
humus.
As II requires a heavy percentage OF
nitrogen, potash ard phOsphOr1c acid 70
grow a fine crop OF celery, IL Is well 10
auriy a high grade complete fertilizer
Containing al these elements. in the
absence OF an abundance OF well rotted
stable manure. The land should be plOw-
ed deep with disc pillow. and then har-
rowed and pulverized 70 depth OF
inches This work can be done I'm the
fall and the land narrowed and rolled
again 5hSt before planting Good seed
should be bought and planted in the seed
bed
Sowing Seed In Beds.
The best seed bed Is a shallow wooden
box about 16x24 inches. with holes bored In
the bottom TO give good drainage Nix the
sand and crushed leaf mold together and
. efft through a sitter. filing the box Press
the soil down in the box with a board.
Sow the seed IN small. shallow drills two
inches apart Place the box in a window
and water the bed occasionally, so as to
keep Il moist The seed viii terminate in
two or three weeks. and when they begin
growing turn the box around daily SO as
10 prevent the tender plants from bending
toward the light or sunshine The seed
Iings should be ready for transplanting in
from four 20 six weeks from the time OF
sowing
transplant 10 the open ground rows
81 four feet apart, with the plants from six
TO seven inches apart IN the rows. BY
planting IN rows the crop can be worked
with q horse and pillow and the plants hOed
the same as any other crop. The plants
should be set out in moist weather and
placed I'm the furrow and the soil pressed
around the roots. leaving them a little
below the level OF the surrounding soil.
II the rows are not mulched. the soil
should be watered when the plants are
set out. just the same as we do in trans
planting sweet potato slips. II IS best to
mulch the rows for eight 20 ten inches on
each side OF the plants. and nothing Is
better for this than well rotted stable
manure or pine needles may be used.
Where the rows are mulched. the only
cultivation needed Is shallow blowing in
the ruiddies. not allowing the pillow or cul-
tIyator teeth TO come nearer than the out
side edges OF the mulch. Where no mulch
4 used OF course the cultivation must ex-
tend up TO and along the furrOw OF the
plant stirring the surface OF the soil light
IL with an iron rake or cultivatOr- Let
the cultivation at all times be light and
shallow.
There are two varieties OF celery, one a
seIf blanching and the other must be
tlanched or bleached by artificial meth
DDS. The Giant Pascal IS a type OF the
first and the Golden self blanched a varie-
~ OF the latter. One Of the commonest
and most economical methods OF bleach
ing celery IS 10 use boards placed on each
side OF the row. These boards may be
one inch thick, twelve inches wide and
fourteen 10 sixteen feet long. Any per-
son can arrange the boards properly along
each side OF the rows. where the variety
OF celery planted requires the artificial
bleaching process
The bleaching should be done in two or