resting season, as this gives the injured roots a chance to recover
and start new rootlets before the foliage of the plant makes demands
on them for food and moisture.

In taking up large plants many roots are broken or crushed. These
broken and injured roots should be trimmed off with a smooth cut. The
tree or shrub is then placed in the hole prepared for it and the soil
carefully filled in and packed about the roots. After the plant is
set, the top should be trimmed back to correspond with the loss of
root. If the plant is not trimmed, more shoots and leaves will start
into growth than the damaged roots can properly furnish with food and
water, and the plant will make a weak growth or die.

There are on the market a number of hand transplanting machines which,
from their lack of perfection, have not come into general use. Many of
them require more time to operate than is consumed in hand planting. A
number of large machines for transplanting are in successful and
satisfactory use on large truck and tobacco farms. These machines are
drawn by horses and carry water for watering each plant as it is set.

Practice transplanting in window boxes or in the open soil and see how
many of your plants will survive the operation.




CHAPTER XI

SPADING AND PLOWING