119 



CHAPTER Xlf. 



.V'e add this chapter, which we have selccic, 



)m Mrs. Laudon's Ladies^ Companion to the Flower 



rardcn, that our readers may have the benefit of 



er very excellent remarks on Planting, and on the 



fathering and Preservation of Seeds. 



PLAXTIXG. 



Planting is the operation of inserting plants in 

 the soil, either in the free ground or in pots. The 

 simplest kind of planting is that which consists in 

 removing small seedling plants, or such as have 

 been struck from cuttings or layers ; and this is 

 commonly performed by making a round hole with 

 a dibber, and puuing in the root of the plant to the 

 same depth as it had been covered with earth be- 

 fore, and making it fast by thrusting the dibber into 

 the firm earth beside the hole, and pressing it to the 

 root. In this operation, the great art is to make 

 the root fast at the lower extremity. Thus, iu 

 planting common seedlings of annuals, or even 

 cabbage-plants, if the earth be pressed close to the 

 root at the upper part, and not at the extreme points, 

 tlie success will hardly be complete ; and in tender 

 plants, or in a dry season, a failure will be the re- 

 sult. In planting plants of a larger size, a small 

 pit should be opened by the spnde or trowel , the 

 l)ottom of the pit having been formed into a cone 

 or small hill, the plant should be placed in the cen- 

 tre, and the roots spread out equally over it on ev- 



