54 FRENCH MARKET-GARDENING 



that the latter conditions are most likely to help 

 plants, as the injured roots for the time being are 

 unable to suck up moisture from the surrounding 

 soil. These injured roots, however, soon heal up 

 under normal conditions, and masses of new fibres 

 develop behind the injured tips of the older roots. 

 In this way, after the temporary check, the plants 

 are really better off than they were before, by having 

 more feeding roots, and the effect is soon apparent 

 by the way the leaves stand up, and by the develop- 

 ment of fresh growths. When the gardener sees this 

 he knows the plants have established themselves in 

 their new home. Therefore he removes the shading 

 material, except perhaps when he considers the sun 

 to be still too powerful. 



When freshly moved seedlings are shaded from 

 the sun, the frames or cloches also are shut down 

 tightly. In this way the moisture or vapour arising 

 from the soil is prevented from escaping. It is kept 

 in the air immediately round the leaves and stems 

 of the young plants, and thus prevents the sap in the 

 tissues from being given off freely into the atmosphere. 

 When the lights and cloches are kept shut down in 

 the way described, the plants are said to be kept 

 " close " meaning that the outer air is not allowed 

 to circulate freely about them for a certain time. 

 Once, however, the plants are again in a growing 

 condition, or have " picked up " as gardeners say, 

 it is essential to allow them as much air and light 

 as possible, consistent with the necessary warmth 

 and moisture. Otherwise they would become weak 

 and lanky " drawn," as the saying is and the 

 tissues would be so soft, tender, and flabby, that the 



