different flDanners of ^Transplanting. 321 



e. Pruning the Root of the Plant in Transplanting. The plants 

 should not be pruned at the time of transplanting them. 



The principal root of the plant, however, should be cut off level 

 with the earth adhering to it, and in case this should fall away, leaving 

 the roots bare, the main root should be shortened until it is of sufficient 

 thickness not to bend; for, as has been already said, if this happens 

 the tree will die, or will not produce fruit. 



Some believe that when the tap root is pruned the plant will stop 

 growing vertically, but will send out small roots on either side. I can- 

 not speak with certainty on this point; but if such be the case it 

 would be better not to prune the root, for the deeper this strikes into 

 the ground the better able the plant will be to bear the dry season 

 without requiring irrigation. 



C. Transplanting with the Root free from Earth. Trees are said in 

 Soconusco to be set or transplanted with the roots bare when they are 

 taken from the nursery or the place where they have grown up without 

 any of the soil adhering to the roots, or when, on taking them out of 

 the ground, the earth has fallen off, leaving the roots bare. 



The following points with reference to this manner of planting 

 will now be considered : 



a. Manner of planting coffee-trees with the roots bare. 



b. Disadvantage of transplanting coffee-trees with the roots bare. 



c. Case in which planting should be done with the roots bare. 



Each of these points will be considered separately. 



a. Manner of Planting Coffee- Trees with the Roots Bare. In trans- 

 planting with the roots bare the same rules are to be observed as in 

 transplanting with the earth adhering to the roots, it being observed 

 that in the former case the earth must be pressed much more compactly 

 around the root than in the latter, and if so the plant cannot be pulled 

 up without great effort; this shows that it is well planted. 



Care should be taken not to expose the young plants that are to be 

 transplanted to the heat of the sun, which would wither them; they 

 should be placed in the shade and their roots kept moist. 



The operation of planting with the roots bare is sometimes simplified 

 by omitting the digging of the holes. A long-pointed stick is driven 

 into the ground in the place where the plant is to be set, this is placed 

 in the hole thus made, the hole is filled with earth, and another hole is 

 then made close beside the first with the same stick, so that the earth 

 in the first hole shall be firmly compressed. In order to ascertain 

 whether the plant has been successfully transplanted or not a slight 

 effort should be made to pull it up, and if it offers some resistance it 

 may be considered well planted. A man can plant in this manner 

 from 80 to 150 plants a day. With this system several operations are 

 shortened and the cost of planting is less. It has the disadvantage, 



