, 1922-10-04

cNNN 20 hcNtccdIsf DuI TtCtII expert
ments have shown that four-year-oid
e gives greater freedom from dis
ease and in many respects is prefer
to fresh seed. However, much
depends upon the way the seed has
been handled, as great changes of tenn
perature reduce it's vitality. There are
Approximately 1900 celery seeds in
an and 21,G00 to 10000 plants
are needed to set an acre, but not
every seed can be relied upon to pro-
duce a good plant. -Four ounces Of
extra good seed is usually enough to
provide plants for al acre, but most
growers use eight to twelve ounces. In
three to five weeks after the early
crop e Is sown the plants are trans
planted to trays, to greenhouse
benches or to eold-frames, and later
to the fields. For the later or stand
ard crop the plants are usually grown
In field beds.
For the home garden 200 or 300
plants can be started In a cigar box or
In a wooden tray in the house, but as
a rule 1t is more economical to buy the
small number of plants needed. Spe-
cial care is needed during the first
two weeks after the seed Is sown to
see that the soil does not dry out and
after the plants come up that they are
not overwatered- There are many I'M
portant details to the setting of the
plants In he field, but even the CON-
mercial fields are set by hand, though
the department suggests that there is
no reason why q suitable machine for
doing b work should not be deyel-
oped.
Celery Is a moisture-loving plant,
and 1t Is frequently necessary to en-
ploy irrigation unless the soil is nat
urally moist Three systems are en-
ployed: The overhead sprinkler sys-
tenn. the furrow or surface system, and
the underground or subirrigation sys-
tenn 1t has been found that the first
of these is generally the most adapt
able. Since the plants are greatly in
jured by whiting. successful growers
watch the soil moisture conditions
closely and apply water before any
willing Of the leaves occurs. Some
successful growers In the northeastern
district do not use irrigation. They
depend upon having the soil In good
condition and well supplied with or
ganic matter, and upon thorough and
frequent cultivation.
Celery Is subject to the attacks OF
diseases from seeded to market.
Damping-on is the principal danger In
the seeded. but this can usually be
controlled satisfactorily by care not to
overwater and by giving plenty of ven
tilation. Plants In the field suffer from
early and late blight, bacterial blight,
Sclerotinia rot and black-heart. There
are rots hat attack the product in
storage or in transit. Blights spread
rapidly during periods of moist and
sultry weather. and ever during bright
weather. when the plants are growing
rapidly, spraying is necessary to be on
the safe side. The storage blights or
rots usually have their origin In field
diseases. Control is based upon crop
rotation and spraying with bordeaux
mixture to prevent them. A reading
Of the bulletin will give q thorough
understanding of the approved meth
DDS of control.
Results Of Experience.
The experience Of many successful
growers and the results Of experiment
tai tests on blanching, harvesting, stor-
ing and shipping are given In consid-
cradle detail. Although II is an ex-
pensive crop to grow and market, most
growers have paid little attention to
cost accounting. and conditions vary
so much from rear to year and in diff
ferent regions that it is difficult to
give figures of real value The prin-
cipal items of expense are: Interest
on Investment, blowing and fitting the
land, drainage and irrigation, fertiliz-
Ing. growing the plants, setting and
~cultivating, spraying. cost OF boards or
paper used in blanching. labor, selling
costs and washing. 1t is safe to as
sumo, says the department, that the
grower who is not making a profit Of
from $500 to $500 an acre or more is
falling short Of his goal, but the only
way to know what profit is being made
Is to keep a careful cost account to
balance against the returns.