CELERY

HENRY GREFFRATH, LIMA, N. Y.

President, New York State Vegetable Growers' Association

The demand for celery in this country is constantly increasing; but the increased acreage planted each year and the quality and condition in which celery is marketed, with present methods of distribution, fully meet the demand at the present time. I do not make this statement hoping to discourage any one from entering into the growing of celery, but I do wish to impress upon everyone thinking of entering the business, and those already engaged in it, that the future prosperity of this industry depends on the quality of the celery grown and the condition of it when marketed, as well as on the method of distribution.

The climatic conditions of this vast country of ours are hot the same in all localities; therefore, one set of rules for the growing of celery can not be applied to all sections.

The writer has been engaged in the growing and shipping of celery for the past thirty years in New York State, and will try to give the public what he had found to be the best methods for this part of the country.

SELF BLANCHING IN GREATEST DEMAND

The celery in greatest demand at the present time is a variety known as Self Blanching although in some cities the Green Golden Heart type is used to some extent. Self Blanching is the handsomest celery, when properly grown, of all known types, but it is also more subject to disease than any of the other types and demands great care from the time the seed bed is started until the crop is placed before the consumer.

GROWING EARLY CROPS

If one wishes to market his crop in the month of July, he must start the plants in a greenhouse, sowing the seeds March 1. I find that I can get stronger plants from beds in which the seed is sown broadcast than from sowing in rows. A grower should endeavor to sow the seed so that there will be from 200 to 250 plants to the square foot. If too thick, thin them out.

The seed bed should be made of the best soil available. I use muck only and have used the same muck in my greenhouse for the past fifteen years. Keep it free from all kinds of disease by sterilization and spraying. Never cover the seed with more than one-quarter of an inch of dirt and never let the seed bed become dry from the time seed is sown. Do not give too much water, for, if too wet, soil under glass will become sour and moss covered, and the plants will not do well.

Plant in the field just as soon as the season will permit. A light frost will do very little harm to celery if it is well planted and the land is wet, but will spoil celery plants if the ground is dry and they have not taken root.

Celery plants set May first should be ready to bleach by July first. I use lumber for bleaching and find that the celery is in a much better condition when bleached with boards than when paper is used.

Self-blanching celery seed has about 20,000 seeds to the ounce, but one can not count on more than 5,000 good plants to the ounce.

In growing early celery great care must be taken to keep the water level of the land down during the months of May and June so as not to force the roots of the celery to grow too near the top. On wet land the roots will be forced so near the surface that the fine rootlets will grow upward and out of the ground. It is impossible to keep a field of celery in good growing condition during the months of August and September, when the ground usually becomes hot and dry, if the water level was too high during May and June. Keep the land well drained and cultivate deep during wet weather, thereby forcing the celery roots deep down into the soil, and the crop will stand a long period of dry

weather. But if roots are near the top during dry weather the crop is sure to be checked badly and may be entirely spoiled by the heart turning black.

THE LATE CROPS

The plants for the fall or late crops should be planted in the fields from June second to July tenth. If the land is dry when planting, wet it well before and after the plants are set.

The late celery crop should be planted in rows three and onehalf feet apart, plants five inches apart in rows.