CULTIVATION 65 
seed absorbs a large share of the nourishment which 
cught to go to the development and strengthening of 
the crowns which are to produce the following year’s 
crop. 
Even with the best of care, some plants will die out 
from time to time, although the more thoroughly the 
sround has been prepared at the time of planting, and 
the better the quality of the roots planted, the fewer 
failures of this kind will occur. ‘These blank spaces 
are not only constant eyesores to the methodical gar- 
dener, but in the course of several years the aggregate 
shortage of crops will be considerable, while the amount 
of labor and fertilizer will be the same as in a fully 
stocked plantation. Therefore, such vacancies should 
be filled in the spring, not only of the second year, but 
whenever they occur in future seasons. 
The best way to replant these dead or dying roots 
is to go over the rows each fall, before the ground 
freezes, and drive a stake wherever there is a plant 
missing, asin the spring, before the plants have started, 
it would be difficult, if not impossible, to indicate the 
blank spaces. For replanting in the second year good 
strong two-year-old roots should be used. For the 
third and future years it is best to raise and keep a 
supply of a sufficient number of reserve plants for this 
special purpose in a similar manner as is done for 
forcing. As early in spring as the season permits 
these clumps should be carefully lifted and transferred 
to the permanent plantation. For three-year and 
older beds good strong three-year-old roots should be 
used, as younger ones would have but a poor chance 
between two older and well-established clumps. 
