

A Few Explanations and Directions 



PRICKING OUT. 



This is a term which is applied to the removal of small seed- 

 ling plants, from the seed-bed, to pots or boxes. The operation 

 is generally carried out as soon as the young seedlings are about 

 one inch in height. They should be lifted from the seed-bed by 

 hand, the soil shaken carefully from the roots and the plants 

 placed singly on a thin board or on the surface of the soil in the 

 box in which the young seedlings are to be pricked out. They 

 should then be taken singly by the upper leaves between the finger 

 and thumb of the left hand; a hole should be made in the soil 

 with the forefinger of the right hand or with a dibble and the 

 roots of the young seedlings should be carefully placed into that 

 hole so that the lower leaf or leaves of the plant rest on the sur- 

 face; the soil should then be gently pressed about the roots. 

 When the box or pot is filled, the young plants should receive a 

 gentle watering with the watering-pot through a fine rose. They 

 should then be returned to a position and temperature similar to 

 that in which they were grown, and shaded from strong sunshine 

 for a few days or until the young plants have made fresh roots 

 when they may be gradually exposed to light and air. 



BUDDING. 



The usual method of increasing plants, provided by nature, 

 is by seeds. Seeds increase species, but as the peculiarities of 

 varieties can rarely be perpetuated in the same manner, there 

 arose the necessity of finding a method of increasing a variety so 

 that its qualities would not be altered, and this can be accom- 

 plished by budding. The possibilities of grafting and budding 

 however, have certain limitations. Those trees only which are 

 allied to each other respond so that the budding operations can be 

 successfully performed. 



As a general rule, the seed, cone, nut and mast-bearing wood 



