SETTING THE PLANTS 25 



and quick operation, too, and for myself, I could, if 

 I wanted to keep at it, easily set 6000 plants in ten 

 working hours. I take hold of the plant with the 

 lef hand, place it with the root end just a trifle to the 

 right of the place where I wish to have it planted, 

 and then with the thumb or index ringer of the right 

 hand press the bulb or lower end of the plant down 

 into the soft earth until it stands just where I want 

 'it. This is the work of a very few seconds, and all 



Fig 21 SETTING THE PLANTS WITH DIBBEH 



I have to do afterward is to run the fingers over the 

 ground near the plant to fill up the hole left by the 

 manipulation, smoothing the surface. 



My plan is to have a patch planted as quickly 

 as possible after the ground has been put in shape, and 

 it will usually pay well to get extra help to do it, 

 rather than string the work along by keeping only a 

 small force at it. If by any chance we have to quit 

 and let the soil become hard and packed, I always try 

 to refit it anew by harrowing and marking, before 

 going at the plant setting business once more. 



If plants have to be set into hard soil, a small 

 dibber will be needed. This may be made of a piece 



