I 08 GARDENS AND THEIR MEANING 
shingle stuck in the ground on the sunny side of a plant will 
cast grateful shade, to which it may owe its life. In a word, 
use every ingenious means that suggests itself to guard against 
the loss of moisture by evaporation between the time of tak- 
ing up a plant and that of resetting it. Few realize that little 
seedlings get limp by sheer exposure to the wind. Lay over 
them, therefore, a .dampened cloth as they lie waiting in the 
heat or in a draft,; ; 
There is a noticeable difference in the ability of plants to 
stand the shock of a change in position. Tomatoes, cabbages, 
and lettuce are among those sturdy ones that may be depended 
upon to transplant well. Tomato seedlings lead a charmed 
life, — you simply cannot kill them ; but other plants, such 
as the cucumber, squash, pea, and morning-glory stubbornly 
refuse to prosper. Nevertheless, even these capricious plants 
will sometimes yield to coaxing, provided they have been 
started in some small receptacle like a berry basket or paper 
flowerpot, which can be broken away without wrenching their 
systems. A class of children one year started some lettuce seed 
in eggshells. These fragile cradles, though so tiny, proved 
in every way satisfactory, for a gentle squeeze was enough 
to crush the shell as the plant was being introduced into its 
new home. Was it not the custom of Mrs. Thaxter, the 
ardent friend of children and of flowers, to raise in eggshells 
the seeds for that beloved garden of hers at Appledore .? 
Shrubs and trees should be transplanted according to the 
principles just described, except that the season for their re- 
moval is restricted to autumn and spring. Stout roots cannot 
be torn from their home at the height of their activity and 
still live ; but after the period of active service is over for the 
year, or before it begins, if treated kindly they will not suffer. 
As for small fruits, a strawberry bed is most practical, 
while currant, gooseberry, and raspberry make themselves 
