TRANSPLANTING 57 



1-year 2-year are better than 2-year 1-year, as the 

 plants have recovered from the disturbance due to trans- 

 planting, and have put on growth above ground. 



2-year 2-year plants are the ones usually used, and 

 although 2-year 1-year 1-year are better, the expense of 

 transplanting more than once adds too much to the cost 

 of the plants. Twice transplanting, as a rule, is not 

 necessary, unless in the case of the species mentioned or 

 when very large plants are required for any special purpose. 



Even then a cheaper, though by no means as good a 

 method is to cut the roots with a sharp spade. This is 

 often useful when planting operations have been delayed, 

 and a proportion of the plants that should have been 

 planted out have to be left in the lines for another year. 

 The spade, which should be very sharp, is inserted about 

 5 inches from the plants, and forced into the soil at an 

 angle sufficient to cut the roots 6 or 7 inches below the 

 surface. 



This should be done on both sides, or, preferably, there 

 should be a man at either side of the row. 



After the spade is driven in to its full depth, it is gently 

 levered back, lifting the plant slightly out of place, the 

 spade withdrawn, and the plant again made firm in the 

 soil. 



This pruning and disturbance of the roots promotes the 

 growth of root-hairs, but checks the upward growth of 

 the plant. 



Transplanting, however, is much to be preferred to this 

 makeshift method, which should not be practised unless 

 time is very pressing. 



