^8 



VEGETABLE GARDENING. 



supply of first-class stocky plants that have not been crowdea 

 in the seed bed. Such plants make success reasonably certain. 

 A most important requirement in any case is that the soil be 

 moist and not wet and sticky. If it is very dry it must be 

 watered or failure will be a sure result. 



Shortening the Tops of Plants. — It is a good plan to shorten 

 the tops of cabbage, celery, cauliflower and similar plants when 

 they are to be moved. This may be done by twisting or cutting 

 off a third or even one-half of the tops. If the plants have ex- 

 cessively long roots it is a good plan to shorten them enough 

 to permit of their being handled easily. 



Figure 17. — 1. — Cabbage plant with long stem set deep. 2 — Cabbage 

 plant with top twisted off before planting. 3 — Cabbage plant 

 wrapped in manilla paper to protect from cut worms. 



The Digging of Plants should be done carefully and every 

 precaution taken to get good roots. If the bed is very dry the 



