TRANSPLANTING. 



45 



it without much effort, but during- dry weather the gardener's 

 skill is taxed to the utmost to move plants successfully. One 

 of the most important elements for success in transplanting 

 is a supply of first-class stocky plants that have not been 

 crowded in the seed bed. Such plants make success reason- 

 ably certain. A most important requirement in any case is 

 that the soil be moist, and not wet and sticky. If it is very 

 dry. it must be watered, or failure will be a sure result. 



Shortening the Tops of Plants. It is a good plan to shorten 

 the tops of cabbage, celery, cauliflower and similar plants 

 when they are to be moved. This may be done by twisting or 

 cutting off a third or even one-half of the tops. If the plants 



Figure 16.— 1.— Cabbage plant with long stem set deep. 2.— Cabbage plant 

 with top twisted off before planting. 3.— Cabbage plant wrapped in 

 manilla paper to protect from cut worms. 



have excessively long roots, it is a good plan to shorten them 

 enough to permit of their being handled easily. 



The work of digging the plants should be done carefully 



