84 TRUCK-FARMING AT THE SOUTH. 



upon stupid labor, and were it not for the seemingly 

 imperishable character of some vegetables, the percentage 

 of loss would be much greater. The planting is either 

 too shallow or too deep, and the soil is not uniformly 

 pressed to the roots, which are put into the ground im- 

 properly. 



In transplanting such plants as the strawberry, the 

 fibrous roots should be spread out as much as possible, 

 while the root of a tap-rooted plant, as the cabbage, beet, 

 etc., should be placed regularly up and down and not 

 bent upon itself. If such a root is bent, the nutritive 

 matter in descending from the leaves will be interrupted 

 at the bend, and new rootlets will be slow to appear be- 

 yond it. In transplanting the soil should be uniformly, 

 but not harshly, pressed to the roots their entire length, 

 from the extreme lower point upwards. 



With the exception of asparagus, horseradish, onions, 

 and such plants as emit new roots along the lower por- 

 tion of the stem, as tomatoes, cabbage, etc., it is a safe 

 rule to put down the plant to the depth at which it orig- 

 inally grew. 



In sandy soil it occasionally becomes necessary, in a 

 drouth, during an entire transplanting season, to water 

 the plants after they are set out. In this case the watered 

 surface should be covered with dry soil to prevent baking. 



In a loose, fine, light soil, free from sticks, shells, peb- 

 bles, etc., the hand alone may be used in transplanting 

 on a small scale; but either the planting stick or dibble, 

 or the trowel is preferable. The trowel is the safer 

 implement in the hand of an unskilled workman. In 

 using the dibble, it is thrust into the soil to make a hole 

 to at least the full depth at which the plant is to be in- 

 serted, the hole is then widened by a rotary motion of 

 the implement. To insert the plant properly, it is held 

 between the thumb and index finger of the left hand, 

 and thus placed in the hole; the dibble is then plunged 



