The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1917-07-09
BY e. r. Bennett. field horticultural.
Patching up the Garden

Cutworms, poor seed, dry weather,
he neighbours hens and other vermin
have made bad gaps in many gardens
and seriously dampened the ardor of
many would-be prize gardeners.
These things are discouraging, but
Inevitable in the best of regulated
gardens.
In all new enterprises we have to
learn many details by hard knocks.
The gardener should not be discour-
aged, however, for tho the July sun
does beat down with seemingly UNI
necessary heat, licking up the water
with avidity, we have the satisfac-
ton of knowing that the cut worms
have finished their nefarious work
for this season.
Late Crops for the Season
If the gardener has kept the soil
clean and we'll titled it is not too
late to fill the vacant spaces with
some of the most profitable of all
the garden crops. In fact, what has
seemed to be wasted energy in -cui-
tivating blank spaces in the garden
has been the very best preparation
of the land for a fine crop of late
cabbage, celery, cauliflower, beets,
turnips, radishes, etc. In most parts
of the state the first week in July
is not too late to set plants Of cab
bage, cauliflower and celery.
Transplanting
we nave seen many gardens this
spring where the gardener was do
ing a lot of unnecessary work In set
ting plants. Transplanting plants,
particularly with irrigation, is not
difficult, and there should not be
lbss to exceed per cent, but If 1T Is
improperly done another failure will
result. The details for success are
as follows: Prepare the land; see
that it is smooth, clean and free
from Jumps. Make furrow where
the row is to be. Make it in such
a way that water will run evenly,
without flooding, the whole length or
the row. Now you are ready for the
plants. Water the plants, soaking
the soil six inches deep, a few hours
previous to taking them up. Loosen
the plants by prying up with troWel
or spade; then pull them out and
pack them together in a basket to
take to the field or garden. 1t is al
WAYS best to remove the older leaves
of cabbage and caulif1ower plants and
clip back part of the top of celery
plants. This is to Offset loss of roots
that are injured in transplanting.
How to Plant
Drop the plants along the row
where they are to be set. Follow
Immediately with the setting so as
not to leave are plants with the roots
exposed to the sun. There are two
methods used in setting. Some
gardeners start the water down the
trench; then set the plants just In
the edge of the water in the furroW.
Others make hole with a dibble or
trowel in the side of the furrow in
which they set the plant, aiming to
keep Just ahead of the water, Whlcn
has been started down the furroW:: ,
One of the principles OF successful
Itransplanting is to pack the soil tirm-
" around the roots of the plant.
When setting in the water, this is
not necessary; hence, the work can
be done much more rapidly. In dis
tricts where late cabbage is grown
in a commercial way, two boys, one
dropping the plants, the other set
ting them, not infreQuently set from
ten to fourteen thousand plants per
day.
If the weather is dry and hot when
the setting is done, water should be
run in the rows again in day or
two, keeping the soil we'll moistened
around the plants. AS soon as the
plants are established-three or four
days after setting a thoro cultiva-
tion must be given. This will fill
the furrow and establish soil mulch
around the plants. If horse tools
are used, the 12-tooth fine tooth
type of cultivator is much better
than the fine tooth. If the work is
done by hand tools, the wheel Gull
tivator or garden rake is best.