The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-01-02
"Groutine" Plants.

"GroutinR" Plants.
Gardeners and others who have had
much to do in the way of setting out plants,
whether of vegetables or flowers. know
that the practice of "grouting'' or pud-
ding the roots of plants is a very profitable
one usually. 1t is not a practice likely 20
be followed by the gardner who does things
In hurried and haphazard way which,
we must admit. is a characteristic of the
majority Of southern gardeners, The quick
est way Of doing a thing is the one gen
orally chosen by our average gardener. If
our southern gardeners could be brought TO
do their work in the painstek ing and
Inetbodlcal manner as followed by Euro
peans and especially German gardeners,
their success would be far greater year in
and year out than it is under the careless
way usually observed by them. Those who
have had any observation of the matter
need not be told that German or Swiss
or a French gardner will make
success of growing celery, cauhhower. egg
plant and the like under conditions that
would give failure to our native gardeners.
| The former are willing 10 resort to any aud
every device known to make a success OF
| their venture after they once make a start,
while only a few of the latter ever prepare
Tor the various emergencies that are likely
TO arise Ia the progress of the crop. We
have had occasion TO observe this fact in the
| past twenty years. Our native gardeners
| will frequently allow drought or insects to
ruin crop nicely under way that a German
gardener would tide over and bring to sue
cess. Many of our gardeners will allow a
dry spell to bring their work almost to a
standstill when the setting out of plants is
| concerned. when the foreign gardener will
60 right along and put out his plants IL the
proper time has arrived for that WORK. It
in nlvaa Orly kN snvt1 v,Ia
during dry weather but it is not so great
that IL should cause the long delay in trans
planting that so many allow.
1t is a fact that plants put out properly
when the soil lie dry outstrip those that are
set'out later when the soil is very wet. II
the soil Is in proper condition from deep
blowing and narrowing and rolling, trans
planting can proceed without reference to
rain with all plants, the crops from which
are usually grown from transplanting,
such are cabbage, tomatoes, pepper. egg
plant, sweet potatoes, celery. cauliiower,
etc. If the rain does not come at an oppor-
tune time run the harrow along where the
rows are to bs made, following right after
| with a garden roller IL inches wide. Take
up your plants if they have attained
proper size and are provided with normal
supply of roots and grout them.
Saw barrel in half, making one or two
tubs, according to the number to te treated.
luLO luis IuD put a ndlI OuSUel OF clay Quep.
sitting it beforehand il convenient; add
like quantity OF fresh cow manure Then
add enough water to bring the mass to the
consistency Of q push, which, when the
plants ara dipped into it, will adhere to the
roots perfectly. 1t is better to dip one plant
at a time, though when much hurried three
or four may be punched together and stirred
| around into the mush, As the plants are
grouted Jay them together in punches in the
shade, 500 or ], 1000 in a bunch, not letting
the mud get on the leaves any more than
can be helped. II to be set out at once it
is best to lay them In the baskets for the
troopers as fast as they are grouted. 70
each bushel ,of the clay-mAnure mixture
one-half peck of cotton seed meal may be
added to advantage, and q pint Of kerosene
added to each tub aud thoroughly stirred in
goes long ways in our estimation in pro-
tecting the plants from the cut worms la
lieu of cotton seed meal one-half peck of
ammoniated superphosphate may be used.
Where large area is to be put out one
dropper should be allotted to every two
Settlers out" dropping plant first on one
row and then on the other, so that the
grout will not be allowed to become dry
on the plant. Plants thus grouted one day
and laid aside will be found to have shot
out fresh rootlets in twenty-four or thirty
six hours, even when exposed to the air
These grouted plants set out in the center
of the roller track and the soil pressed
firmly to the roots will usually all live with
out being watered, but il the soil is very
dry and there are no signs of rain, their
living will be assured by applying a pint Of
water to each plant, pouring the water into
the hollow left by the transporter for the
purpose. After the water has soaked IN,
draw loose soil over It and press it firmly
down with the hoe Plants so served will
live If rain does not occur in weeks after
ward.
We rarely fail to grcut all our plants as
are mentioned above. Even when the soil
is not dry we find It pays to grout celery,
egg plant. pepper and cauli6ower.
little experience with the fortified
grout will demonstrate TO any intelligent
gardener its great usefulness aud Its worth
more than the time given to the work.
Remember, too, that rolling the soil before
transplanting is an important feature of
the practice.
Insurance is worth as much in the garden
as it is in commerce. To insure the success
of planting, that otherwise may be IN
certain is as seusible as insuring ones store
or dwelling. Grouting is IN the nature of
insurauce-doDe in the manner we have
described. s. A.