Book V. OPERATIONS WITH PLANTS, 511 



3145. The preparation of the plant consists in pruning its roots and top, or shoots. 

 In the smallest seedlings, such as cabbage-plants and thorns, all that is necessary is 

 to shorten a little the tap or main root ; but in seedlings of trees two or three years old, 

 or in transplanted or large trees, several of the side shoots will require to be shortened, 

 and also the roots, always proportioning what is taken off" the top or shoots, to what has 

 been taken from the root, that the latter may be duly fitted to support the former. 



3146. The insertion of the removed plant in the prepared soil is performed by making 

 an excavation suitable to the size of the plant's root, inserting it therein, filling up the 

 interstices with fine earth, and then compressing the whole by the hand, dibber, foot, or, 

 what is best, by abundant watering. Plants should not be inserted deeper in the soil than 

 they were before removal ; they should be placed upright, and the same side should be 

 turned towards the sun as before ; the fibrous roots should be distributed equally round 

 the stem among the mould or finer soil ; and the most difficult and important part of the 

 whole is to compress the earth about the roots without crowding them or injuring them 

 by bruises. The only effectual way of attaining this end is, after carefully spreading 

 the fibres, and distributing them as equally as possible among the mould, to give 

 abundant waterings, holding the vessel from which the water is poured as high as pos- 

 sible, so as to consolidate the earth by that means, rather than by compression with 

 the foot. On an extensive scale, however, this cannot be done, and in planting seed- 

 lings or cuttings it is not required, as these have few and short fibres, and may be 



firmed sufficiently by the planting instrument or the foot. It should never be for- 

 gotten that, in all planting, it is an essential point to have the earth firmly compressed 

 to the roots, and especially to the lower parts or extremities. Any one may be con- 

 vinced of this, by planting one cabbage loosely, and compressing the root of another 

 well with the dibber at the lower part ; or, instead of a cabbage, try a cutting, say 

 of gooseberry, elder, or vine : both no doubt will grow, but the growth of the plant 

 or cutting compressed at the lower extremity will be incomparably more vigorous than 

 that of the other. 



3147. Watering becomes requisite for various purposes: as aliment to plants in a 

 growing state ; as support to newly transplanted plants ; for keeping under insects ; 

 and keeping clean the leaves of vegetables. One general rule must be ever kept in 

 mind during the employment of water ; that is, never to water the top or leaves of a 

 plant when the sun shines. A moment's reflection will convince any one that this rule 

 is agreeable to the laws of nature, for during rain the sun's rays are intercepted by a 

 screen of fog or clouds. All artificial watering, therefore, should be carried on in the 

 evening, or early in the morning, unless it be confined to watering the roots ; in which 

 case, transplanted plants, and others in a growing state, may be watered at any time ; and, 

 if they are shaded from the sun, they may also be watered over their tops. 



3148. Solving is the operation of dispersing seeds over the surface of the soil, with a 

 view to their future vegetation and growth. Where seeds are deposited singly, they are 

 said to be planted, as in the case of dibbling wheat or beans ; where they are dropped in 

 numbers together, they are said to be sown. When dropped in numbers together in a 

 line, they are said to be drilled or sown in a row ; and when scattered over the general 

 surface by the hand, they are said to be sown broadcast. 



3149. I7i broadcast-sowing, the operator being furnished with a basket {fig' 525.), or 

 sheetful of seed hanging on his left side, takes out a handful with his right hand, and 

 disperses it by a horizontal and rather rising movement of the arm to the extent of a 

 semicircle, gradually opening his hand at the same time. The most usual practice, 

 when land is laid up in ridges of equal breadth, and not too wide, as five or six yards, 

 is that of dispersing the seed regularly over each land or ridge, in once walking round ; 

 the seedsman, by different casts of the hand, sowing one half in going, and the other in 

 returning. In doing this, it is the custom of some seedsmen to fill the hand from the 

 basket or bag, which they carry along vdth them, as they make one step forward, and 

 disperse the seed in the time of performing the next ; while others scatter the seed^ or 

 make their casts, as they are termed by farmers, in advancing each step. It is evident, 

 therefore, that, in accomplishing this business with regularity and exactness, there is con- 

 siderable diflSculty, the proper knowledge and habit of which can only be acquired 

 by experience. It is consequently of importance for the cultivator to perform the opera- 

 tion himself, or to be careful in selecting such persons as are conversant with the business, 

 as he may otherwise incur much unnecessary expense in the waste of seed, and run con- 

 siderable risk in respect of his crops. 



3150. Sawing. The saw is a conjoined series of uniform wedges, which, when drawn 

 or thrust in succession across a branch or trunk, gradually wear it through. In perform- 

 ing the operation, the regularity of the pressure and motion are chiefly to be attended 

 to. In green or live shoots, the double-toothed saw lessens the friction on the sides 

 of the plate, by opening a large channel for its motion. Where parts are detached from 

 living trees, the living section ought generally to be smoothed over with a knife, chisel, 



