The Ronan pioneer. [volume] (Ronan, Mont.) 1910-1970, 1911-06-23
Celery Production.
BY L. G. Schermerhorn, Mon.
tana Agricultural College.

!. ]. j. !. !. !. i. + !. j. !. j. + i. j. + +
]. P. NJ, Missoula, Mont, makes the
following inquiry: ITO what type of
soil is celery adapted? How Ia this
crop produced?"
Reply: Celery is native Of swamp
lands of the seashore, and therefore
requires careful growing in semi-arid
regions. Probably the best soil for
celery is found in reclaimed swamps
Celery soil should be naturally moist,
and this condition is most commonly
found upon river bottom lands. Such
lands are usually rich and contain
enough sand and vegetable matter so
that they do not bake readily. Sue
cessful commercial celery growing can
be carried on in the uplands, but gen.
orally more care is required in the fer.
tllizing and cultivation Of the crop.
When plenty of stable manure is used
and irrigation is practiced on high
lands, the celery may be just as good
as that grown in reclaimed marshes.
If bottom land is not available, select
a we'll drained, loose, sandy loan.
Seed for the celery crop may be
sown in flats any time between the
first and the middle of March. The
fats may he placed in the window Of
moderately warm room in the house,
or, il early plants are grown on a
larger scale, they may be placed in a
hotbed or on a greenhouse bench. The
seeds will terminate in two or three
weeks, and care should be exercised
| that the plants do not become checked
in any way. 1t is a good plan to trans.
plant once or twice before setting the
| plants in the field where they are to
mature. The first transplanting may
be done in four to six weeks after the
seed is sown. The advantage of
transplanting the celery seedlings Is
In the fact that 1t breaks the tap root
and causes more fibrous root growth
to he formed, thus lessening the shock
which the plant receives when trans
planted into the field. Seed for the
late crop may be sown In the same
manner as the early crop, about the
list of April, and transplaCted into the
field when the plants are large enousl
and the weather permits. The plants
of both the early and lste varieties
should be four or five inches high ar
stocky and hard when ri5r'eA
The plants are cor'n2ctly ct iN
gle or double rows souT- tirs O!
feet apart, with tie plants 7ve
eight inches apart in the roT Pr
ing in rows allows horse &''t.
OF the use of a vince! noe, as,d
banking is more easily done. thUs
lessening the cost of production The
planting should be done when the
earth is moist and, if possible, small
ball of earth should be left upon tn
roots when the plants are set in tn
ground When the plants are set and
the soil has been pressed firm y
around them, they should be little
below the level of the land
Celery plants are blanched in three
ways First, by the use of bonr'@
second, banking up with earth; thi. 4
blanching in pits or STORAGE. Use
boards one foot wide and an in ,
thick, and from twelve to fourteea
feet long These are set up on edse
close to the plant and are held TO-
gether by means of wooden cleats OF
wire hooks The first boards are put
on when the plants are about twelve
to fourteen inches high Celery may
be blanched in two or three weeks
depending somewhat upon the TEN
perature.
1t is generally considered that
blanching with earth gives better
quality and finer flavor to tho col