86 



CULINARY OR KITCHEN GARDEN. 



it the plant and ball entire. Tt is then taken to 

 its new site, set in its place, when the handle a 

 is again pressed inwards, and the blades open 

 and are withdrawn, leaving the plant and its ball 

 entire, to be filled around with earth, and the 



Fig. 30. 



Fig. 31. 



TRANSPLANTER. 



M'GLASHAN S TRANSPLANTER. 



Fig. 32. 



operation is repeated on another subject. Fig. 30 

 shows a modification of this implement, wherein 

 the blades are opened by moving the slider a 

 upwards, and, when thrust down around the 

 plant, the blades collapse by pressing the slider 

 downwards. The operation afterwards is the 

 same as the last. Upon exactly the same prin- 

 ciple, but with much more mechanical ingenuity, 

 is the transplanter of Mr M'Glashan constructed, 

 which is admirably adapted to such operations. 

 Fig. 31 will explain its form; its mode of opera- 

 tion will be at once under- 

 stood. Fig. 32 represents 

 another modification of trans- 

 planters ; it is constructed of 

 two semicircular pieces of 

 iron polished to a bright sur- 

 face, which all transplanters 

 should be, because we know 

 practically they enter the 

 ground better, and deliver 

 the ball more entire than 

 they would do if used in a 

 rusty condition. These semi- 

 circular pieces are furnished 

 with handles a a, riveted to 

 them, and are inserted into 

 the ground so as to enclose the plant between 

 them. In this state they are attached to each 

 other by two iron pins, passing through the 

 eyelet-holes welded on their edges, b b b; 

 on their being pulled up, the plant is ele- 

 vated with its ball attached. Our objection to 

 this implement is, that the radius of the blades, 

 if we may so call them, is the same at bottom as 

 at top, which renders it possible that they may 



FLOWER 

 TRANSPLANTER. 



Fig. 33. 



FRENCH 

 TRANSPLANTER. 



be pulled up without bringing the ball with 

 them; or if so, that it may drop out during its 

 transportation to its new site. The others we 

 have shown are different; they collapse the ball 

 firmly — and not only that, but by their construc- 

 tion they embrace it tighter 

 at bottom than at top, render- 

 ing it next to impossible that 

 the ball shall be extracted, 

 and also that it cannot slip 

 out afterwards until relieved 

 by the removal of the pres- 

 sure upon it. Were the 

 blades made in a tapering 

 manner, then all the condi- 

 tions of other similar trans- 

 planters would be fulfilled. 

 All these transplanters are 

 merely modifications of fig. 33, 

 long used in France for simi- 

 lar purposes. Its principle 

 will be readily seen by our 

 figure : the handles a a are 

 pulled outwards when the 

 blades are thrust into the 

 ground. They are pressed 

 inwards when the operation 

 of lifting upwards is desired. 



In planting all the brassicaceous plants, 

 drills should be drawn, 3 inches deep, at 

 the distances apart which are to be allowed 

 each variety ; for amongst the tribe of 

 early cabbage, to which most of our pre- 

 vious remarks apply, there are compara- 

 tively large-growing and small-growing 

 sorts. The type of the former may be 

 instanced in the vanack, and of the latter 

 in Atkin's matchless. The ground should 

 be prepared by heavy dunging and deep 

 digging • but in this, as in all similar cases, 

 trenching 2 or 2± feet deep is better. The 

 early sorts are set in lines from 15 to 18 

 inches apart, but Atkin's matchless, and 

 one or two others, may safely be set at 

 12 inches only. The former should be 

 from 1 foot to 15 inches distant in the 

 line, while the latter may be set at from 

 10 to 12 inches. Plant, if possible, on 

 moist days ; if the soil is dry, run a 

 good soaking of water into the drills pre- 

 vious to planting. Preserve the roots 

 entire of those that have been trans- 

 planted into a nursery-bed, as every root 

 is to them of importance. Those that 

 have been drawn direct from the seed- 

 bed should have the tips of the tap- 

 root shortened, but none of the others. 



The Scotch, late, or drumhead cabbage 

 — for it is known by all these names — is 

 seldom grown in gardens, unless where 

 the bounty of the proprietor is, as it 



