SETTING THE PLANTS 295 



should allow two barrels to the acre if he wishes to plant all from 

 the first pulling, or one barrel to the acre if he utilizes his second and 

 third crop of plants. The first crop of plants should be ready in five 

 or six weeks ; the second crop ten days or two weeks later ; and the 

 rest of the plants Trill be removed in about two weeks more. 



Pulling the Plants for Planting. The plants should be 

 pulled in such a way as not to disturb the seed. As soon as pulled, 

 it is best to dip the plant roots into a thin paste made from clay and 

 cow manure. They should then be packed closely into crates in an 

 upright position. As soon as the plants have been pulled, the beds 

 should at once be wet down, in order to settle the soil and stimulate 

 the new growth of plants. 



Setting the Plants. It is generally considered best to set the 

 plants if possible during a rainy season ; however, if the land has 



FIG. 119. Transplanting machine. 



been handled in such a way as to conserve the moisture, it is pos- 

 sible to set the plants with fairly good results even in a dry time. 

 Where ridges have been prepared a week or two in advance, they 

 should be scraped down to moist soil just before planting. Where 

 transplanting machines are used (Fig. 119), however, they are 

 fitted to deposit a quantity of water with each plant, and hence 

 planting may take place at any time. 



Hand planting is generally practised where the area is not too 

 large, but transplanting machines are used for large acreage. Many 

 simple devices are used to assist in hand planting. The plants are 

 usually distributed along the row a proper distance apart, just ahead 

 of the planter. If it is a rainy period, the plants may be set by 

 simply placing a blunt stick on the root end of the plant and pushing 

 it into the ground. Where more care is required, the soil is usually 



