SEED GOWING AND TRANSPLANT 



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cauliflower, celery and of course of all our native frost tender 

 trees and many other plants. When cabbage plants are properly 

 hardened they take on a dull blue color that at once indicates 

 their condition to one acquainted with their peculiarities. This 

 hardening off of the plants is accomplished by gradually subject- 

 ing them to a lower temperature than that in which they grow 

 freely or by drying them a little, and, finally, thus nearly check- 

 ing their growth. The result is a sort of ripening up of the 

 tissues of the plants and, in consequence, they will stand great 

 hardship. 



Tomato Cans are very convenient substitutes for flower pots 

 when plants are grown for transplanting. The cover on the 

 end opened may be melted off and a half inch hole made in the 



Figure 20.— Use of tomato cans as an aid in transplanting. A box of 

 plants in the cans, ready for removal to the field and one can 

 opened, showing the ball of roots. The cans are held together by 

 wire twisted aroimd them. 



bottom for drainage. Another way to use them is to melt all 

 the joints and use the body of the can by tying it together with 

 a piece of wire. Thus prepared the tins may be set in the hot- 

 bed or cold frame and filled with earth into which the s^ed or 



