240 



Principles of Plant Culture. 



Watering recently-transplanted plants requires discre- 

 tion. As a rule, mulching is preferable to watering, but 

 if mulching proves insufficient, watering is the last 

 resort. In this case, the soil about the roots should be 

 saturated with water and should not be permitted to 

 become dry again until growth starts. A hole may be made 

 in the soil about the roots and kept filled with water until 

 the liquid ceases to soak away rapidly, after which it 

 should be occasionally filled until growth commences. 



_ D_ 



FIG. 149. FIG. 150. 



Fig. 149. Placing the roots of the plant against the soil in the pot \vith 

 the left hand, he takes another handful of soil with the right hand. 



Fig. 150. He fills the remaining space in the pot with soil and presses 

 it down with the thumbs, tapping the pot gently upon the bench in the 

 meantime. 



414. Shading plants transplanted in leaf, until the roots 

 resume activity, is important (236). Evergreen trees 

 and shrubs may often be shaded with barrels or boxes, or 

 with boughs from other evergreen trees. 



415. Tardy Starting into Growth after transplanting is 

 usually evidence that the roots are not supplying suf- 



