TEANSPLANTING 65 



tool is hard to beat. It can be fitted with grubber teeth, 

 rakes, or even a small plough, which is used to turn a 

 small furrow back on to the roots of the plants that may 

 have become deprived of soil during hoeing and hand- 

 weeding. Other types of machines have been made that 

 will hoe three or four lines at once, but in my opinion 

 there is quite enough to do in hoeing one line at a time, 

 to do it properly and see that the plants are not injured. 

 Another useful tool for light weeds and for loosening the 

 top soil is made with three triangular hoes on spring arms, 

 and is used in the same way as a draw hoe. 



As little raking of the surface as possible should be 

 done after hoeing, as it tends to consolidate the ground. 

 If the hoeing is done in dry, hot weather, the weeds will 

 lose their vitality in a short time; but if showers are 

 frequent and there are many weeds, it is wise to rake them 

 off or pick them up when hand-weeding between the 

 plants in the rows, and then again hoe between the lines. 

 The weeds on the main cart-roads in the nursery should 

 be destroyed by the use of weedkiller, but the paths 

 should be hoed, because, no matter how carefully the 

 weedkiller is applied, there is always a danger of some of 

 it reaching the roots of young trees, especially if a thunder- 

 storm or a heavy shower should fall soon after it is used. 

 On the main road, water-tables and drains will prevent 

 it reaching the beds. 



While hoeing, great care should be taken not to injure 

 the young plants, as there is always a great risk of spores 

 (frequently miscalled seeds) of fungi obtaining a lodgment 

 in the wounds. 



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