THE EARTH'S BOUNTY 



each parent plant. These babies usually have 

 a goodly supply of rootlets, though they rarely 

 penetrate the soil, being nourished merely by 

 the humid atmosphere of their semi-dark re- 

 treat. Put a layer of wet moss at the bottom 

 of a covered basket or pail, and then with a 

 sharp knife sever each shoot from its parent, 

 and drop it immediately into the basket; other- 

 wise they will wilt before sufficient have been 

 collected to fill a tray. 



The sand must be moist and firmly pressed 

 down in the tray. Take each plant out of the 

 basket and trim off most of the rootlets, also 

 the larger leaves, and plant immediately, an 

 inch apart, in the wet sand. They must not 

 be exposed to any direct light or allowed to 

 become dry. As the trays are filled, we stand 

 them on a shelf, which was purposely added, 

 under the beds the second season. The posi- 

 tion is most favorable for the first few weeks, 

 but when the work is being carried on on a 

 large scale a special shed should be built as a 

 nursery. 



43 



