Chap. II.] Rut A Baga culture, 69 



In September, mine had far surpassed the prime plants 

 of my neighbour. And, in the end I believe, that ten 

 of my cabbages Avoukl have weighed a hundred of his, 

 leaving out the stems in both cases. But, his had 

 remained uncultivated after planting. The ground, 

 battered down by successive rains, had become hard 

 as a brick. All the stores of food had been locked up, 

 and lav in a dormant state. There had been no re- 

 newed fermentations, and no exhalations. 



82. Having now said Avhat, [ would fain hope, will 

 convince every reader of the folly of icaiting for a 

 shower in order to transplant plants of any sort, I will 

 now speak of the mere act of planting, more particu- 

 larly than I have hitlierto spoken. 



83. The hole is made sufficiently deep ; deeper than 

 the length of the root does really require; but, the 

 root should not be bent at the point, if it can be avoid- 

 ed. Then, while one hand holds the plant, with its 

 root in the hole, the other hand apphes the setting- 

 stick to the earth on one side of the hole, the stick behig 

 held in such a way as to form a sharp triangle with the 

 plant. Then pushing the stick (lo^\^l, so that its point 

 goes a little deeper than the point of the root, and giving 

 it a little twist, it presses the earth against the point, or 

 bottom of the root. And thus all is safe, and the plant 

 is sure to grow. 



84. The general, and almost universal fault, is, that 

 the planter, when he has put the root into the hole, 

 draws the earth up against the upper part of the root 

 or stem, and, if he presses pretty well there, he thinks 

 that the planting is well done. But, it is the point of 

 the root, against which the earth ought to be pressed, 

 for there the fbres are; and, if they do not touch the 

 earth closely, the plant will not thrive. The reasons 

 have been given in paragraphs 51 and 52, in speaking 

 of the sowing of seeds. It is the same in all cases of 

 transplanting or planting. Trees, for instance, will be 

 sure to grow, if you sift the earth, or pulverise it very 

 finely, and place it carefully and c-losely about the 

 roots. When we plant a tree, we see all covered by 

 tumbling in the earth ; and, it appears Avhiinsical to 

 suppose, that the earth does not touch all the roots. 



