Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1914-01-02
Celery Returns $500 Net Per Acre.
EDGAR H. CAsHELL, OF MONTANA. IN THE
NORTHWEST FARMsTEAD.

mines and Indians, Her wealth of sturd
manhood, splendid climate and millions
acres of fertile farming lands are not full
appreciated by the average American Cit
zen. Even her vast area is a surprise, cor
tanning as it does more land than the CON
bined area of New York, Pennsylvania
Indiana, Maryland and Connecticut. Tn
single county of Custer is larger than tn
whole State of Maryland. In size it rank
third in the Union and in natural wealt
it surpasses Pennsylvania. The climate /
excellent, the clear, dry air exceedingly in
MIGRATING, the percentage of bright day
very large, all combining to make the eli
mate one of the most healthful and pleas
ant of any locality in the United States.
Winters are extremely mild, tempered al
they are by the chinook winds and tn,
mountains. The average temperature TO
February, the coolest month in the year, /,
not far from Is degrees above zero. The
summer days are long and for short
period quite hot during the middle of the
day, but the nights are always cool and
pleasant. The normal precipitation for the
entire State is is inches and more than
two-thirds of the moisture falls during the
growing season. While the soil varies
somewhat in different districts, in general
it is an alluvial deposit. grayish loan,
extremely fertile and from 2 to 40 feet in
depth. In some sections the sandy loan
with clay subsoil is encountered, while in
other parts the soil is a dark loan, with
gravel subsOil. There is no question as to
the fertility of Montana soil, which is of
proper consistency for a country of light
rainfall. 1t is heavy enough to prevent the
dust mulch from blowing away, it quickly
absorbs and holds moisture and pulverizes
readily and easily.
A very large percentage of the popula-
ton of Montana is engaged in mining,
stock raising, numbering, etc. for this rea-
son, farmers cannot supply the food for
home consumption, and their products find
ready sale at high prices in their home
The growing Of celery is COM
paratively new industry. but it has been
demonstrated that the natural conditions
of the State are ideal and that large prof
its can be realized from its culture. Mr..
Cashell, of Yellowstone county, Mont, pre-
diets that the State, with all her natural
qualifications, bids fair to equal Michigan
and California in celery production. He
gives his experience with growing the crops
as follows:
For its best development, the celery
plant requires comparatively dry atmos-
phere, cool nights, warm days with an
abundance of sunshine. The cool nights
tend to make the stems crisp and firm.
Warm, sultry weather is conducive to the
soft growth and favorable to the attack of
diseases. Our climate in this locality, with
an elevation of over 300 feet, is ideal,
and has much to do with the success at
tanned by the Montana grower. We are
fortunate, too, in having a soil peculiarly
adapted to its best growth, viz, deep,
rich sandy loan. This plant requires an
unusual amount of hand labor, and is one
of the disadvantages we have to contend
with. Although large number of tools
have been manufactured for handling the
celery crop. very much of the work remains
to be done by hand. such as setting out the
plants hoeing between the plants, banking,
cutting and trimming, punching and pack
ing IL in crates.
1.-THE cost Of growing the crop, therefore.
is considerable, fully $50 per acre for the
small grower. but. of course, this is not
excessive compared to the returns, provided
the crop is an average one, and is har-
vested in good condition. The average net
returns per acre here will run close to
$500. The fields are plowed in April,
cultivated until they are perfectly level
and then no further work is done be-
tween June l-20. They are then put
in onion-bed condition, preparatory to
receiving the celery plant. The ground
is MANFRED heavy with barn-yard ma
nure before blowing and a top-dressing
of sheep manure is applied just before
the field is planted. No other crop re-
quires as much manure, and to be avail
able the barnyard manure must be thor
ouehly rotted.
THE seed is sown during the latter part
Of March or April |. The plants are trans
planted between May Ito, and are usually
In condition to set in the open ground be-
tween June 1928. 1t requires ITO days
for the crop to mature from the time the
seed is sOwn, the time is divided as fol-
lows: Thirty-fve days in the seeding bed,
including time of termination, 35 days in
the transplantin9 bed and 100 days in the
open field. There is scarcely any variation
in these time periods. II is, therefore, an
easy matter to reckon on the time for the
maturity Of the crop after the seed is sown.
| have had excellent results in transplant
ing my plants direct from the hOtbeds TO
the fields. This saves the extra work Of
one transplanting. The hOtbeds are pro-
Il use no special precautions in setting
out the plants. Simply wait for good
weather and transplant while the soil is
warm and in the best possible condition.
The roots are trimmed down to inch and,
to add to the sturdiness of the plant, the
top is trimmed as much as ii will stand.
They ore placed in rows from 3 to inches
apart. The rows, which are l-2 feet
an arf hal Ian al
are at level and the roots below water
level. This method is followed go that in
future irrigation the water goes to the root
and not the top Of the plant. The crop
needs to be cultivated frequently, the work
soon after the plants are set
in the open fields and continued until the
process is well under way. At
first one may safely cultivate closely to the
plant, but should not be continued after
the roots have grown to any extent. Shall
low cultivation is preferable and find the
l2-toOth cultivator is a splendid tool for
this purpose. The crop Is irrigated once
n week by the gravity system, about one
inch Of water being required.
blight is the disease that gives us the
most trouble. caused by excessive rain and
sunshine. have been extremely fOrtu-
nate In growing good grade Of celery,
and have no trouble with pithy or hollow
stalks. When the celery Is ready to blanch,
prepare trench 6 inches lower than the
height Of the plant The celery is graded
and plants Of the same size put together
In the trench and the remaining space in
the trench refilled with dirt, tightly packed
around the stalks. The celery standing
upright is then covered first with sticks
and light coating Of straw Ventilators
are provided every is feet, and the depth
Of cover is increased as the weather gets
colder. The celery is usually ready for
about September IS, and this
process takes from one to four weeks.
I'm preparing the crop for market. the
roots are cut down TO one or two stalks.
The stalks are graded for size and put in
a press, IL bundles per bunch. and are thus
tied in bundles by string both at top and
bottom. Care Is taken TO have root ends
even. The bulk Of my crop is sold to local
stores and direct TO consumer. In prepar-