56 TRANSPLANTING 



place until the spade is withdrawn. Another thrust of the spade and 

 a step of the foot closes the hole and firms the soil about the plant. 

 Experienced hands set sweet potatoes very rapidly by this method. 



Fig. 30.— Trowel. 



If small plants are to be transplanted with earth attached, a 

 garden trowel (Fig. 30) is often a more convenient tool to use than 

 a dibber. This is especially true if the plants are to be transplanted 



Fig. 31. — Transplanting machine. 



from pots. A hole is dug with the trowel, the plant inserted, and 

 with the hands moist earth is packed about the mass of soil con- 

 taining the roots. 



When large plants, such as eggplants, tomatoes and melons, are 

 to be transplanted with a mass of earth surrounding the roots, a hole 

 for each plant may be dug with a spade if the number of plants is 



