136 VEGETABLE GROWING. 



would lose much by not treating his customers well ; 

 but the customer has his money at stake, and there- 

 fore is the one to be most careful in the bargain. 



Sow the seed about three-fourths of an inch deep ; 

 about two to the inch ; in drills about three fourths of 

 an inch apart ; cover the seed carefully, smooth the 

 ground off, and moisten the soil thoroughly. 



TRANSPLANTING. 



Under this head, we will simply include the shift- 

 ing of plants from one portion of the hot bed or cold 

 frame to another. As soon as the plants have grown 

 to be about an inch high, or by the time they are be- 

 ginning to crowd one another in the seed-drill, they 

 should be taken up and transplanted. Many people 

 are quite timid about transplanting such small seed- 

 lings, but if the operation is carried out carefully, 

 there need not be a loss of one plant in a hundred. It 

 is quite customary to plant seedlings before they show 

 their first leaves ; that is, while they are in their seed- 

 leaves. Set the plants about an inch apart in the 

 drills, and the drills about three inches apart. Press 

 the soil firmly about the roots of the seedling, and 

 moisten the ground thoroughly. The seedlings should 

 be protected from the direct sunlight for two or three 

 days after they have been transplanted. Daring this 

 time they form new roots and become established. As 

 soon as practicable, the ground between the drills 

 should be worked with a narrow hoe or other instru- 

 ment ; this will give the air a chance to get into the 

 soil. 



The plants should be transplanted again when they 

 crowd one another in the drill ; this time to three 

 inches apart in the drill, and the drills the same dis- 

 tance as before. Ordinarily, the plants are left in this 

 bed until they are wanted for setting out. 



