TRANSPLANTING 



245 



upon the surface of the soil, to support it, and tapping 

 the rim of the pot gently upon the edge of the potting 

 bench. 



If the soil is in the proper condition, it will readily 

 slip out of the pot intact, after which it should be placed 

 in the center of the new pot and the 

 space about it filled with potting soil 

 moderately pressed down. The roots of 

 woody plants should not be covered 

 much deeper than they grew before the 

 shifting. (See Figs. 153, 154 and 155.) 



413. Mulching the soil about trans- 

 planted plants (232) is very important 

 in localities subject to drought. As a 

 rule, it is wise to apply the mulch im- 

 mediately after transplanting, but with 

 trees transplanted very early in spring, 

 it is better to defer mulching until the 

 soil becomes sufficiently warm to pro- 

 mote root absorption (101). 



Watering recently-transplanted plants 

 requires discretion. As a rule, mulch- 

 ing is preferable to watering, but if 

 mulching proves insufficient, watering 

 is the last resort. In this case the soil 

 about the roots should be saturated 

 with water and should not be permitted 

 to become dry again until growth starts. 

 made in the soil about the roots and 



-^-^^1 



Fig. 152. — Device 

 for starting 

 growth in trees. 



A hole may be 

 kept filled with 

 water until the liquid ceases to soak away rapidly, after 

 which it should be occasionally filled until growth com- 

 mences. 

 414. Shading plants transplanted in leaf, until the 



