246 



Principles of Plant Culture. 



The dibber (Fig. 139) is perhaps, aside from the 

 spade, the most valuable single tool for transplanting. 

 It is used for opening the hole to receive the roots of 



small plants, as cab- 

 celery, onions, 

 etc., and for 

 pressing earth 

 about the 

 roots ; it an- 

 swers equally 

 well for plant- 

 i n g cuttings 

 and root 



FIG. 139. FIG. 140. FIG. 141. &****' ^ 



FIG. 139. Flat steel dibber (one-sixth natural manner of US- 



FIG. 140. Tool for planting root grafts and m & ^ a PP ears 

 cuttings (much reduced). 



FIG. 141. Richards' transplanting tools, made ' 



by F. Richards, Freeport, N. T. and 144. 



Fig. 140 shows a very convenient tool for planting 

 root grafts and cuttings. It consists of six steel dibbers, 

 attached in a line to a piece of scantling, at the distance 

 with a handle affixed above. In using this tool, the 

 operator crowds the dibbers into the soil with the foot, 

 guided by a line. He then moves the frame to and fro 

 until the holes are sufficiently opened, when he with- 

 draws the dibbers by lifting the frame, and pases on to 

 repeat the operation. A person follows inserting the 

 grafts or cuttings, and crowding earth about them with 

 the ordinary dibber. 



Fig. 141 shows a set of transplanting tools, useful in 

 removing a limited number of plants that are not 



