NOTIONS ON AETIFICIAL EE STOCKING. 225 



too close together; such, roots as show signs of 

 mouldiness should he removed, and the whole must 

 then be covered with fine earth. In this case, more- 

 over, the plants are extracted only at the moment 

 of despatch, and put up in loose tufts, the roots 

 being enveloped in moss. Sometimes when the 

 transport is long, the roots are still further protected 

 from contact with the air by plunging them in thin 

 mud, composed of clay and water. 



PLANTING, PEOPEELY SO-CALLED, OE PUTTING OUT. 

 The first question which presents itself is " what 

 is the most favourable season for planting ? " 

 Except in the case of planting out in sods (like turf) 

 in which the roots remain entire, it is undeniable 

 that the operation ought to be done while vegetation 

 is active. During the remainder of the year, it is 

 evident that the season of frosts is highly unfavour- 

 able. There is therefore no choice left but between 

 autumn and the beginning of spring. If it be 

 remembered that the welfare of the plants depends 

 on the state of the roots, it is at once seen that 

 autumn is to be preferred to spring. The drought 

 which follows -the vernal equinox exposes the fibrous 

 roots to dry up rapidly. Now the fibrous roots, in 

 other words, the finest extremities of the roots, 

 constitute the organs of absorption, and their 

 entireness is the first condition of success. More- 

 over, in the case of seedlings a little old, the alternance 

 of frost and rain, which characterises the close of the 

 season of vegetation, produces complete contact 

 between the roots and the soil. But on the other 

 hand, when seedlings are put out quite young, frost, 



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