TRANSPLANTING 141 



When transplanting to small beds in the open ground, 

 as a shift before setting into the field, the most favorable 

 spots should be chosen. Such spots should be fertile, 

 moist, in fine tilth and free from stones, sticks and rub- 

 bish which would hinder the operation. 



204. When to plant. The time of transplanting will 

 depend, first, upon the time of sowing and, second, upon 

 when the space will be available for the shifted plants. 

 These two points are usually determined months before 

 the seed is sown. Then, a number of questions of sec- 

 ondary importance should be taken into account, (i) 

 Are the plants ready for this operation? Although it may 

 be the right date to transplant, additional time in the 

 seed bed may be necessary to secure first-class plants. 

 (2) Has the time passed when there is much danger of 

 killing frosts? (3) Are the soil conditions all right 

 neither too wet nor too dry? (4) Are atmospheric con- 

 ditions favorable? High humidity makes transplanting 

 a more certain operation than low humidity. Cool and 

 cloudy weather are also advantageous. If the plants 

 have been properly grown and the soil well prepared, 

 transplanting may proceed all day, even though atmos- 

 pheric conditions are not so favorable. Just before a 

 rain is always the best time, but when many thousands 

 of plants are to be set, the work cannot be done in the 

 few hours when possibly all conditions are exactly right. 

 The latter part of the day is somewhat better than the 

 morning, but this advantage is regarded as of slight im- 

 portance by large commercial growers. 



205. Markers and marking. Straight rows and spaces 

 of uniform width are necessary in the successful manage- 

 ment of a market garden. They not only look better, 

 but they also allow more rapid and thorough cultivation 

 with less annoyance to the operator. An 8o-acre market 

 garden in Philadelphia county, Pa., is apparently faultless 

 :n this particular. In several visits to the farm not a 



