QUESTIONS 57 



small. However, in commercial operations, the field to be planted 

 is furrowed out both ways and the plants set at the intersections. 



Transplanting machines drawn by horses are useful for the 

 commercial planting;- of certain crops. Only plants that can be 

 set without dirt attached can be transplanted by the use of these 

 machines (Fig. 31). One person drives the team and two others 

 seated at the rear of the machine with a supply of plants in their 

 laps, place the plants in the furrow as it is opened. Shoes or rollers 

 following close the furrows and compact the soil. There is an 

 attachment for applying water to the plants as they are set. It 

 is practicable to use a machine of this sort only when large num- 

 bers of plants of the same kind are to be set. 



In nearly all transplanting of vegetable plants it is customary 

 to set the plants slightly deeper than they grew previous to their 

 transplanting. If they have grown too tall, they must be set still 

 deeper, in order to make them stand erect and to avoid sun scalding 

 of the stems. 



QUESTIONS 



1. What are the principal reasons for transplanting vegetable crops? 



2. What economic questions must be considered in connection with trans- 



planting? 



3. How do plants differ in the readiness with which they lend themselves 



to transplanting? 



4. What relation has the structure of the root system of a plant to its adapt- 



ability to transplanting? 



5. What is the relation of the age of a plant to the ease with which it may be 



transplanted? 



6. State the great underlying principle involved in all successful transplanting. 



7. Characterize plants that are in desirable condition for transplanting. 



8. What is meant by ^'hardening-off "? How is it accomplished? 



9. In what different ways may plants be kept from suffering from lack of 



moisture while being transplanted? 



10. What are the various means of insuring that a plant shall have a sufficient 



supply of moisture immediately following transplanting? 



11. What special precautions must be taken in transplanting melons, cucum- 



bers, and similar crops? 



12. Why is tillage important immediately following transplanting? 



13. Under what circumstances is watering necessary at the time of transplanting ? 



14. How may the transpiration of water from a plant be reduced? 



15. Describe the method of setting plants with a dibber. With a spade. 



With a trowel. 

 IG. Describe the operation of a transplanting machine. 



17. How deeply should plants be set when transplanted? 



18. Are any machine planters used in your vicinity? If so, for what kinds of 



plants are they used? 



