88 AMERICAN HOME GARDEN. 



as are calculated for each hill, are put into a small pot of rich 

 earth, and placed in a slight hot bed two or three weeks before 

 the final setting out 9 in which case, at planting-time, after a 

 plentiful watering, they are carefully removed from the pot by 

 turning it upside down upon the hand, with the plants hanging 

 between the fingers, and starting the whole out unbroken by 

 striking the edge of the pot gently upon any thing solid ; the 

 whole ball of earth is then placed, with the plants it may con- 

 tain, in the hill prepared for it. See HILLING. 



3d. Grouting. Immediately before young seedling plants 

 of vegetables are pulled for any purpose, the bed, or at least that 

 part of it from which the plants are to be drawn, should be 

 thoroughly soaked with water, and, if needful, a small stick 

 may be used to pry up the roots, so that they may retain some 

 of the earth with them in transplanting. If from any cause 

 they fail to hold the earth, it will be found of special import- 

 ance that they be submitted to the process of grouting. 



This is performed by mixing rich earth, to which cow-dung 

 may be added, with water, to the consistence of soft mud, and 

 dabbling the roots of the plants in it, not by thrusting them 

 into it, but rather by drawing them through it, or, as it were, 

 striking them upon it until each root is loaded. A dozen 

 plants may be grouted at once ; and as they are held in the 

 hand preparatory to this process, an inch or two of the root- 

 ends may be cut off. 



In the final transplanting, it is the general rule to set the 

 plants of cabbages, peppers, and other plants that form a stem 

 one or two inches deeper than they have previously stood ; but 

 plants that do not form a stem, as celery, lettuce, &c., at the 

 same depth as before. If the stems of young plants of the for- 

 mer class are very long, or, technically speaking, if the plants 

 be " long-legged," they may be planted a little deeper than 

 above directed ; but, whether the leg be long or short, the plant 

 should never be put in so deeply that the earth reaches the 

 leaves ; let these always remain above ground, and free to the 

 wind. 



