CELERY

as we know it, is the cultivated form of a plant—found wild in many parts of this country and Europe—which was almost completely overlooked by the epicures of olden times. The varieties of present use are all of modern development, and their history during the past few years has seen a steady stretching of market po ibilities. From, at first, a luxury at high prices, obtainable only during certain seasons, celery has in recent years become an article of general consumption, and the finer grades are now on sale all the year round. Great quantities are grown in a wide diversity of loealities—California, New York, and Michigan being the largest producers. Celery requires constant care and cultivation, and rich, moist, soft soil—preferably muck soil—to attain its best qualities. The creamy whitene of the stalks is obtained by blanching—which generally: consists of banking earth along the rows of plants, or of putting boards alongside for the same purpose, when the plants are nearing maturity and shortly before they are to be harvested. Blanching by Tagan Studio Cutting and erating celery in the field permits closer planting—and therefore a much larger crop to the aere—but the amount of lumber required, its distribution through the fields, ete., are by some growers considered over-balancing disadvantages. In small gardens, paper ‘‘collars’? may serve for blanching. There are two main types of modern celery known to American growers—the ‘‘green,’’ and the le specifically green ‘‘golden,’’ or “‘self-blanching,’’ each in numerous varieties. ‘‘Self-blanching’’ eceleries are generally planted by commercial growers because they are more easily blanched, but they lack some of the fine quality of the best of the green varieties, and the latter are worthy of attention by home gardeners, for late planting at all events, if good seed is obtainable. The self-blanching varieties can be grown white without special blanching, by planting very close and running planks around the plots, but such intensive cultivation nece itates close supervision, ‘‘black-heart’’ and other troubles being liable to attack the crop during a hot moist spell. ~ Every part of the plant can be used to advantage. The stalks and heart are served in many ways—raw, either plain or with various fillings, and both separate and in salad; or (especially the outside stalks) cooked in divers styles. The trimmings, fresh or dried, are excellent for favoring broths. The seeds are used for celery-salt and numerous pickles and seasonings. Unle for immediate consumption, celery should (in the household) be kept from contact with the air by wrapping in parchment paper, and be held as cool as po ible above the freezing point. The holding period is best made as short as po ible-—the heart will improve and sweeten with fairly extended keeping, but at the expense of much waste of the outer stalks. Even in cold storage houses, carefully packed in the most approved, small, well-ventilated crates, a month or a little longer is about the average limit without serious lo . Private growers can hold their crop for a while by storing in coo!, dry cellars, if packed just as taken from the ground, without either washing or trimming, beads up in long, deep boxes and filled around the roots with sand—the sand being occasionally moistened if the weather and the cellar are very dry.