98 RUTA BAGA CULTURE. Part I. 



there will be many cavities in the hole where the 

 tree is planted ; and, in whatever places the earth 

 does not closely touch the root, the root will mould, 

 become cankered, and will lead to the producing of 

 a poor tree. ' 



85. When I began transplanting in fields in Eng- 

 land, I had infinite difliculty in making my planters 

 attend to the directions, which 1 have here given. 

 "• llie point of the stick to the point of the root^''"' was 

 my constant cry. As I could not be much with 

 my work-people, 1 used, in order to try whether 

 they had planted properly, to go after them, and 

 Fiow-and-then take the tip of a leaf between my 

 finger and thumb, if the plant resisted the pull, so 

 as for the bit of leaf to come away, 1 was sure, 

 that the plant was well fixed ; but, if the pull 

 brought up the plant out of the ground ; then I was 

 sure, that the planting was not well done. After 

 the first fieid or two, I had no trouble. My work 

 was as well done, as if the whole had been done by 

 myself. My planting was done chiefly by young 

 rt'omen, each of whom would plant half an acre a 

 day, and their pay was ten pence sterling a day. 

 VVliat a shame, then, for any mati to shrink at the 

 trouhle and labour of such a matter ! Nor, let it be 

 imagined, that these young women were poor, 

 miserable, ragged, squalid creatures. They were 

 just the contrary. On a Sunday they appeared in 

 their "di'hiie dresses, and with silk umbrellas over 

 their heads. Their constant labour afforded the 

 means of dressing well, their early rising and exer- 

 cise gave tiiem health, their habitual cleanliness 

 and neatness, for which the women of the South of 

 England are so justly famed, served to aid in the 

 completing of theirappcarance. which was that of 

 iine rosy-cheeked country girls, fit to be help-mates, 

 and not a burden, of tlieir future husbands. 



86. But, at any rate, what can be said for a man 

 that thinks too much of such a piece of labour / 



