Kitchen Garden.

Manawatu Herald, Volume III, 14 April 1891, Page 3

Kitchen Garden.

The late dry season has not been favourable for planting out Brassicas ; but with the arrival of showery weather, every favourable opportunity should be seized for such work. In earthing up Celery the first proceeding should be to cleanly remove all quite small leaves and suckers, and after a watering has been given and the ground become somewhat dry, the moulding-up should follow. The outer stalks, in order to effectually exclude the soil from the hearts, should be brought up together, and either held by the hand or be kept together by ties. The stalks must not be wedged together tightly over the hearts, nor a heavy weight of soil be raised in advance of the inner growth, or otherwise bulging and splitting at the base will inevitably ensue. According as the hearts advance more soil may be banked up around, the moulding-up being completed in about three times, and the same process of holding the stalks or tying them together repeated each time. The ties ought always to be macje juat above, where the soil is to be placed, and removed after each operation. At the final mouldingup only about one-half of the leaves shoujd be left uncovered, and the ridge of soil should be smoothed over and rounded off neatly. In earthing up Celery the soil should not be heavily banked up above the hearts, nor too tightly pressed about tK-stems, as this causes bulging and %|Rtting. Care should be taken to enclose as few of the leaves as possibie. While the dry weather lasts the plants will be benefited by occasional drenchings. It is almost useless to pour a little water near the stems, the roots of the plants are spread out in the surrounding Boil, therefoie the whole of the trenob should be well soaked. Liquid manure is never thrown away upon Celery,, the quality of the vegetable will be greatly improved by frequent and copious applications,