122 A HOME VEGETABLE-GARDEN 



for their first handling. The tray-grown early 

 plants may then be moved to the hotbed or to other 

 trays of fresh soil. This time, mix some well- 

 rotted manure with the leaf -mold and sand; and 

 sift the mixture less fine. A convenient device for 

 marking the rows and at the same time making 

 the holes is a straight stick with projecting pegs 

 attached at the correct distances for setting the 

 plants, say 2 inches. This dibber-like contrivance 

 may be used to advantage in setting all very small 

 plants. Be sure the seed-bed is wet clear through. 

 Then, before the plants are lifted, loosen the soil 

 in the trays by slipping a flat trowel or a pan-cake 

 turner down the sides and beneath the soil. Take 

 a handful of seedlings, snip off the tips of the top 

 leaves ; nip the tap-roots to an inch in length ; slip 

 the tiny plants into the holes with the stem no 

 farther below the surface than when in the seed- 

 bed. Press the soil firmly about the frail plants 

 to hold them erect until new growth has begun. 



Practically the same plan is followed in han- 

 dling the later grown plants in the garden seed- 

 bed. Give the same care to the making of the 

 transplanting bed as to the preparation of the soil 

 when the seeds were sown. Wet the seed-bed well 

 before the tiny plants are removed. As .soon as 

 the handling is finished, attention will be needed, 

 at first, to shade the plants. After new growth 

 has begun, the experience gained in the care of the 

 seed-bed plants will be nearly all that is needed. 



