402 



SEEDING AND PLANTING 



After the plants are lifted, the soil about the roots is left un- 

 protected or else it is covered. When the plants are small and 

 the soil tenacious, no protective covering is required. 



The various steps in the handling of balled plants are as follows: 



a. Lifting the stock with balls of earth. 



b. Transporting the stock with balls of earth. 



c. Planting balled stock. 



4. Lifting Balled Stock. Special attention should be given to 

 the manner of lifting in order that the root system may be wholly 

 or chiefly contained in the ball. If the ends of the roots are 

 severed in the process of lifting, the larger part of the absorbing 

 surface has been cut away and but little is gained by having the 

 remaining roots encased in the ball of earth (Fig. 110). 



FIG. 110. 



A. Balled plant with the root system incompletely retained. 



B. Balled plant with the root system completely retained. 



Small plants may be lifted and planted with an ordinary trowel; 

 with larger plants, a heavy hoe or spade may be used. The soil 

 must be sufficiently moist and binding to retain the ball intact 

 during transport and planting. Dry soil should be thoroughly 

 moistened before the plants are lifted. If the situation is such 

 that water cannot be brought to the area where the stock is to 

 be lifted, the operation should be delayed until after a heavy rain. 



5. Transporting Balled Stock. Balled plants are costly and 

 difficult to transplant due to the \veight of the soil and the great care 

 necessary in order to keep it attached to the roots. Ordinarily the 

 stock should be grown close to the planting site and the process of 



