40 Strawberry-Growing 



wad the roots ; they should be trimmed shorter for dibber 

 planting than for spade planting. Several types of home- 

 made wooden dibbers are in use. A pole four feet long, 

 sharpened to a wedge three and one-half inches wide at 

 the lower and larger end, and the cutting edge lightly 

 ironed, has been used somewhat on light soils. A mason's 

 trowel with the point cut off is serviceable. 



One of the best planting tools for heavy or gravelly 

 soils is made from a hoe. The blade is narrowed to the 

 shape of an adz about four inches wide and the handle 

 shortened to fifteen inches. The setter works on his 

 knees. The hole is opened at a slant and the plant is 

 slipped back of the blade as it is withdrawn ; enough soil 

 rattles down to hold it in place. The hole then is filled 

 by striking the hoe between the setter and the plant, 

 and close to it, pushing forward at the same time and 

 raising the handle a little. One man can set 3000 to 5000 

 plants a day. An ax with a crooked handle is used occa- 

 sionally on very tight soils. 



The common method of planting under irrigation is to 

 run shallow furrows and irrigate in them. When the soil 

 is dry enough to work, set a row of plants along the side 

 of each furrow about four inches from the edge — never 

 in the bottom of the furrow (Plate V). Then turn water 

 into the furrows until the land is soaked. In very hot 

 weather, let a small stream of water follow in the furrow 

 close behind the planter. Occasionally it is more feasible 

 to soak the land first and set the plants with dibber or 

 spade when the soil is dry enough. 



Planting machines and transplanters. 



Several types of two-horse planting machines, such as 

 are used in transplanting tobacco, tomatoes, cabbages, 



