CULTIVATION 65 



seed absorbs a large share of the nourishment which 

 ought to go to the development and strengthening of 

 the crowns which are to produce the following year's 

 crop. 



Even with the best of care, some plants wall die out 

 from time to time, although the more thoroughly the 

 ground has been prepared at the time of planting, and 

 the better the quality of the roots planted, the fewer 

 failures of this kind will occur. These blank spaces 

 are not only constant ejxsores to the methodical gar- 

 dener, but in the course of several years the aggregate 

 shortage of crops will be considerable, while the amount 

 of labor and fertilizer will be the same as in a fully 

 stocked plantation. Therefore, such vacancies should 

 be filled in the spring, not only of the second year, but 

 whenever they occur in future seasons. 



The best way to replant these dead or dying roots 

 is to go over the rows each fall, before the ground 

 freezes, and drive a stake wherever there is a plant 

 missing, as in the spring, before the plants have started, 

 it would be difficult, if not impossible, to indicate the 

 blank spaces. For replanting in the second year good 

 strong two-year-old roots should be used. For the 

 third and future years it is best to raise and keep a 

 supply of a sufficient number of reserve plants for this 

 special purpose in a similar manner as is done for 

 forcing. *As early in spring as the season permits 

 these clumps should be carefully lifted and transferred 

 to the permanent plantation. For three-year and 

 older beds good strong three-3'ear-old roots should be 

 used, as younger ones would have but a poor chance 

 between two older and well-established clumps. 



