AMERICAN GARDENER, ur 



near to each other,) and put out into fresh-dug, 

 well broken ground, at six inches apart every 

 way. This is caUed pricking out. By standing 

 here about fifteen or twenty days, they get straight 

 and strong, stand erect, and have a straight and 

 stout stem. Out of this plantation they come 

 nearly all of a size ; the roots of all are in the 

 same state'; and, they strike quicker into the 

 ground where they are to stand for a crop. 

 But, if you do not, whether from negligence or 

 want of time, prick your plants out, choose the 

 strongest, if you do not want them all ; and, 

 at any rate, do not plant strong and weak pro- 

 miscuously, but put each by themselves. If you 

 do not intend to prick out, leave the plants, thin' 

 ner in the seed bed, and hoe deep between them 

 while they stand there. Besides this you may pass 

 ^sharp, spade along under the rows, and cut off 

 the tap-roots ; for they must be shortened when 

 the plants are transplanted. This, if done a week 

 or ten days before transplanting will give the plants 

 a more bushy root ; and will, in some measure, 

 supply the place of pricking out. Having the 

 plants ready for transplanting ; and having the 

 ground and weather as described in Paragraph 

 170, you proceed to your work, thus : dig the 

 plants up, that is, loosen the ground under them 

 with a spade, to prevent their being stripped too 

 much of their roots. Put them in rows of course. 

 The setting-stick should be the upper part of a 

 spade or shovel handle. The eye of the spade 

 is the handle of the stick. From the bottom of 

 the eye to the point of the stick should be about 

 nine inches in length. The stick should not be 

 tafiering ; but nearly of equal thickness all the 





