18 FARM-GARDENING AND SEED-GROWING. 



Soil pressed against the stalk near the surface has a 

 tendency to prevent the earth from washing down and 

 settling about the root, and can not possibly be of any use. 



The operation of transplanting should always be done, 

 if in spring or autumn, while the earth is fresh, as plant- 

 ing in dry soil is very tedious, the holes filling as fast as 

 made. For summer transplanting it is best to prepare 

 and mark out the land in good season. When the rain 

 comes, be ready to go at it while the soil is in condition, 

 and unless the amount of rain is such as to make the 

 earth thin mud, do not stop, for there may not soon be 

 another chance. It sometimes may occur that the sum- 

 mer rains may not be sufficient to thoroughly saturate the 

 soil and insure growth of the plants. In this case " pud- 

 dling " must be resorted to. Near the plant-bed make a 

 hole about one foot diameter, and six or eight inches 

 deep ; into this pour water, and with a hoe mix to the 

 consistency of paste or thin mud, which will adhere to 

 the roots. Let the plants be held evenly in the hands, 

 and the roots passed a few times through the mud as each 

 handful is pulled. Lay them in baskets, protect from 

 the sun and air as much as possible, and have them trans- 

 planted very soon after they are pulled. 



In taking up plants from the cold-frame, use a spade to 

 raise them, thus securing whole roots with considerable 

 earth attached. Plants in hot-beds should be saturated 

 well with water before pulling, to accomplish the same 

 object. 



The work of transplanting may be greatly facilitated 

 by adopting a regular system of operations. Let one 

 man attend to pulling the plants after enough have .been 

 drawn for a start. Have an active boy for each man to 

 carry and drop the plants. If desirable to have the 

 plants at even distances in the rows, mark the same on a 

 pole, and by it plant the middle one of every seven or 

 nine rows, which answers as a guide for the boys, who 



