26 



THE NEW ONION CULTURE 



of seasoned hardwood, six inches long, one inch in 

 diameter at large end, and tapering to a point at the 

 other. The operation of setting the plants with the 

 dibber is made so plain by the accompanying illustra- 

 tion (Fig 21 ), that little explanation by words will 

 be needed. Open the hole with the dibber and insert 

 the plant an inch or so deep. Then strike the dibber 

 into the ground an inch or so back of the plant, and, 



Fig 22 — OLD KITCHEN KNIFE AS DIBBER Fig 23 — ^DIBBER 



using the lower end as a pivotal point, draw the 

 upper end toward you, thus pressing the soil firmly 

 against the underground part of the little plant. This, 

 of course, leaves another little opening a little back 

 of the plant. This may be closed, and the surface 

 somewhat smoothed by another light stab or so with 

 the dibber, or a simple manipulation of the fingers. 



A broken kitchen knife ground to a point (see Fig 

 22), or a little flat steel dibber with handle, such as 

 shown in Fig 23, and as may be rnade by any black- 



