THE GARDEN MAGAZINE 



175 



Labor is saved in the long run by transplanting 

 into straight rows and watering well 



straight and it is economical of labor to have 

 them regularly spaced so that the wheel hoe 

 can be used up and down a large number 

 without resetting the wheels. 



TAKE ALL THE ROOTS 



Digging those plants which have a well 

 developed root at this time must be done 

 carefully. Get all the roots. If the soil 

 in its bed is very dry it must be watered so 

 that the roots will not be broken in separating 

 the young plants. If possible transplanting 

 should be done in the late afternoon, so that 

 the little plants will be able to take a hold in 

 their new quarters before they are attacked 

 by the heat of the day. The amateur can 

 help them greatly by shading for a few days, 

 by boards put edgewise along the sunny 

 side of the row. Cabbage and tomato plants 

 can be protected with paper cylinders made 

 from old newspapers. Plants from pots are 

 "knocked out" where they are planted and 

 so suffer little check. The pot can be in- 

 verted over the young plant if the work is 

 done on an unusually hot day, although it 

 is not often necessary to shade pot grown 

 plants. In the case of transplanting cabbage, 

 leek, celery, cauliflower, etc., the same result 

 is attained by reducing the top. About one 

 third is twisted or cut off. 



FIRM THE SOIL 



Make the soil firm about thinned or trans- 

 planted seedlings. They should be made so 

 firm, and the earth so closely packed, that 

 the plants will not yield to a pretty firm pull. 

 The drier the soil the harder and tighter it 

 must be packed. Very wet soil must not be 

 packed. Wait until it dries out and then go 

 over the ground again. 



Small plants are set in sufficiently well by 

 firming the soil with the fingers, or the dibbler 

 which is used for making the holes. Larger 

 plants are best firmed by pressing with the 

 ball of the foot. After watering, hoe at 

 once, drawing a little fine dry earth about 

 the plant to serve as a mulch. 



FIBROUS ROOTS BETTER THAN TAP ROOTS 

 FOR TRANSPLANTING 



In transplanting the vital point is to have 

 a good root growth. If a plant has a fine 



215. Reduce the top of young cabbage and celerj 

 plants one-third to prevent too much evaporation. 

 Twist off or cut the tops of the larger leaves. Keep 

 roots covered at all times 



216. Paper pots for transplanting seedlings come 

 in various sizes. Provision is made for drainage. 

 They are light, do not breaK and are inexpensive 

 Plants raised thus are shifted without any shocK 



217. Grow tender seedlings to a good size in 

 pots and put out after danger of frost is past. Nothing 

 gained by planting before 



214. Make a light furrow, using the line as a guide. 

 Measure off distances when planting 



218. The paper pot comes apart as easily as the old-fashioned tomato can, and it does not need baKing 

 before use to melt the solder. Far superior 



