The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-12-14
Growing Celery on Hammock Land

Growing Celery on Hammock Land.
/ became interested in celery culture
about four years ago. l had no pre-
vIous experience and had TO hoe my
own rows" says a Florida trucker in
American AgricuIturist. The industry
has grown very rapidly the last ten
years. The pioneer in Florida celery
Tor Northern markets was Mr.. Neiland
at Tampa. Fix or six years ago | ii.
Terwilliger, practical trucker OF new
Jersey. who had previously located in
this section. underdrained a small piece
of land, about one-fourth acre, for the
purpose of trucking-using in connec-
ZION with this undertakings arteSldn
well for irrigation. His success was so
pronounced that from his one-fOurth
acre then planted there was grown and
shipped out of Sanford about 120 car
loads of celery this season
1t is the general opinion that a good
grade of hammock land is best adapt
ed for celery culture, on account of
this character of lands being easily
drained and irrigated. Other lands
are available for trucking, ranging in
prices from $40 up to 500 per acre for
wild lands Cultivated land ranges in
price from $500 to $1,000 per acre. Very
little for sale. This is land that is
tle drained, irrigated and ready for
crops. The land is prepared for the
celery crop in about the same manner
as any other intensive garden crop
well plOwed, narrowed, raked and so on.
We get only one celery crop season.
But on the same land, after harvesting
the celery we can raise a crop of to-
matoes or egg plant, which is generally
done. We can also raise lettuce or
beans as a fall crop before planting the
celery. The celery plants are set, be-
ginning about Nov. TO- and continuing
at intervals of two weeks until the
middle of January. Some later, but
very risky on account of the hot wealth
er. Setting the plants at intervals from
ten days to two weeks allows the
bleaching lumber to be used twice, and
sometimes three times in one season.
When we can get it, we use about
twenty to thirty tons stable manure
broadcast per acre, followed by one
or two tons of some high-grade COM
mercial fertilizer and during the grow
ing season-which is midwinter with
us-we add a second and sometimes a
third application, supplemented with
nitrate of soda as a stimulant after
each setback from cold or other causes.
We figure our fertilizer to cost about
$120 per acre exclusive of stable ma
nure. During the growing season we
cultivate very often using generally a
Planet Jr., hand cultivatOr. In case
of rust or blight we spray about every
ten days.
We use boards for bleaching, setting
one l by 12-inch board up to each side
Of the row. This process requires about
ten days to three weeks, according to
the weather; colder weather taking
longer. Celery is ready to bleach, gem
orally speaking. in about seVenty-fiVe
to ninety days from setting in the field.
II is harvested by man on his knees.
With a large knife he cuts the roots
and with a peculiar twist the celery
is taken out. This man is followed by
two or three women or boys, who strip
off the imperfect leaves and pile the
celery in small heaps for the wheelbar-
row. 1t is then taken to the packing
house, assorted, sized and packed, as
shown in the picture on the first page,
sizes running from two to eight dozen
per crate. The crates are by % by q
inches. Prices last season with us
ranged from $1.65 to $2.75 per crate.
These prices were f. 0. b. Sanford.
The variety planted here almost ex-
clusively is Golden Self Blanching, i'm
ported from France. We do not wash
cur celery before shipping it. 1t is
trimmed very little. We plant our
seed from Sept l to Dec Is. This gives
plants for setting in the field Nov. Is
to March Is.
My last shipment, sold in May
brought the best prices of the year,
which were $275 per crate f. o. b.
Sanford. a shipment of AIS crates
brought me over 81, 300. The total net
return from three acres. not including
the above raised on another piece OF
| land was s612295. The yield was 3, 065
| crates. Besides this, | raised second
| crop of egg plants, late potatoes. etc
| from the same land. One measured
| quarter-acre sold for $73S. 1 attribute
! my success largely to the excellent con-
! dition of my land, through irrigation
and to my favorable sales, as 1 sold
! at home and had no losses.
saving of Seed Corn.