GARDENING BY MYSELF. 45 



it into three, having a plant in each. 11 

 you are careful, the roots will be almost as 

 little disturbed as if each seedling had its 

 own pot. And by the way, in choosing 

 small pots for this work, get those that 

 are narrow and deep rather than broad, 

 — roots need most room in that direc- 

 tion. 



Suppose only one plant in the seed pan is 

 ready for transplanting, — some small gera- 

 nium or verbena that has pushed on ahead 

 of its fellows. Then take a very small kitch- 

 en teaspoon, or a narrow flat bit of stick, a 

 little sharpened at one end, and carefully 

 dig up the plant that is ready. If you put 

 your stick well down to the bottom of the 

 seed pan, you can take up a seedling with 

 all the earth that fairly belongs to it, and 

 make no disturbance that can matter to the 

 other plants. Have a small clean pot at 

 hand, with a potsherd over the hole and a 

 little earth on that ; set stick and plant gen- 

 tly down in the middle ; and without remov- 

 ing the stick put in earth enough to hold up 



