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into the ground two or three inches from the plant in a 

 direction with its point toward and a little below the 

 end of the root. The engraving, figure 3, shows the 

 hole made by the dibble with the root of the plant with- 

 in it. The dibble is thrust into the ground, ready to fix 

 the root in place; by using the point, , as a fulcrum, 

 and moving the handle of the dibble from b to c, the soil 



Fig. 3. PROPER USE OF THE DIBBLE. 



will be pressed to the root for its entire length, from a 

 to c. If this is done with sufficient force, it will fix a 

 delicate plant so firmly in the soil, that if it be pulled by 

 the top of a leaf, that will give way before the plant can 

 be pulled up. If the dibble is inserted perpendicularly 

 or parallel to the plant, instead of at an angle, or if it be 

 partly withdrawn, before the movement from b to c is 

 completed, the soil will only be pressed to the root at the 

 top, leaving its more important part loosely suspended in 

 an open excavation in the soil, as seen in fig. 4. Planting 

 proceeds most conveniently from left to right. When 



