SOWING AND PLAXTIXG 



35 



vator, and make a nice "dust mulch" to conserve 

 moisture. The best times to do transplanting are 

 before a rain, or toward evening. 



It is often a help to shade the newly-set plants 

 for a few days, but this is hardly practicable in a 

 large field ; the small grower, however, can utilize 

 shingles, newspapers, berry boxes, etc., etc., for this 

 worthy purpose. Here's a simple little device that 

 may be of help to some of my gar- 

 den friends : Take some stout paper 

 (tar paper is good), cut it in the 

 form illustrated, fold it together and 

 tack on the seam to a light stick ; 

 then adjust the "hood'' over a newly- 

 set plant. A hundred hoods can be made quickly 

 and cheaply. 



Dibbers, etc., for Traxsplaxtixg. — The trans- 

 planting tool used by many gardeners is a short, 

 pointed stick, called a "dibber" or ''dibble," and hav- 

 ing a handle of any convenient shape. L. H. Bailey, 

 in his book, Principles of Vegetable Gardening, says : 

 'In the working hand hold the dibber ; in the other 

 hand hold the plant ; the plant is lowered into a hole 

 made by the dibber (which makes a hole but does 

 not remove the earth). (The earth is best closed 

 about the plant by inserting the dibber alongside of 

 it, an inch or so distant, and then giving the handle 

 a quick push toward the plant — thus pushing soil 

 into the first hole while the plant is held in place with 

 the other hand.) It is customary to have a boy 

 carry the plants in a covered basket or box, and to 

 drop them just ahead of the planters. One boy ordi- 

 narily will drop for two rows of planters ; he should 

 not drop faster than the plants are required. Set 

 the plants deep. Gardeners usually prefer to set 



