Principles of Transplanting 



187 



be obtained in a favorable season, as, for instance, a crop of 

 radishes, followed by early cabbages, and these in turn by field 

 roots, such as turnips. But in market -gardens it is usually more 

 economical to remove the one crop before the crop which is to 

 succeed it has been sown. The preparing of the land by horse 

 labor is thus more easily done. Other successions of crops will 

 occur to those engaged in the work as being more or less 

 suitable to the conditions which they have to face." 



3. TRANSPLANTING 



The first consideration in successful transplanting 

 is to have good plants. They should be well grown. 

 Plants which are thin, slender and soft will nearly 

 always collapse or suffer when they are exposed to 

 field conditions. If they come from hotbeds or forc- 

 ing-houses, they should have been hardened -off either 

 in the hotbed itself or by transference to cold-frames. 

 If the plants have been transplanted two or three 

 times in the seed-bed, they will suffer less when they 

 are put in the open field. Consult pp. 72-79. 



The second consideration is to have the land in 

 prime condition. It should be in fine tilth and 

 thoroughly and deeply worked. Plants live better when 

 they are transplanted into newly turned land. Such 

 land is moist. The plants quickly secure a foothold. 



Transplanting is more successful and is employed 

 to a larger extent in the humid climates east of the 

 great lakes than in the West. In fact, in the more 

 arid parts of the country it is usually discouraged, 

 and it is recommended that seeds be sown where the 

 plants are to stand. 



