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These directions in The Garden Magazine are so good they are quoted verbatim: 

NEXT TO SEED PLANTING the most important part of the gardener’s work is skill in the technique of transplanting.  How often do you hear concerning some gardener, that if he “only touches a thing, it is bound to live?” There is no “king’s touch” in the garden game.  People who “love” plants are more successful with them, merely because such persons take greater care in handling them.  The first essential in transplanting is to have good plants.  They should be well hardened off (see March Reminder, covering cold-frames); this applies to plants in flats and in pots even more than to those growing in frames.  In buying plants, select stocky, compact, dark colored ones in preference to very large ones.

PREPARE THE SOIL as carefully as though you intended to sow seeds.  Mark out the rows, and if fertilizer is to be used, mix it thoroughly with the soil before beginning transplanting.  Then prepare the plants carefully.  Unless they are very small, cut back the largest leaves about one-half with an old pair of scissors.  With a small trowel or an old knife, cut them out of the frame or flat in which they are growing, keeping as much soil as possible with each. (If not in flats, cut them out as you use them in the garden.) If they are in pots, knock them out carefully and pack into flat for convenience in handling.  Paper pots, which produce the best plants, are not removed before planting.  Water thoroughly the day before planting, so that the soil will be in the best condition for handling; but for several days before planting, it is well to keep the plants “on the dry side,” as they will then re-establish themselves more quickly when set out.

(To be continued)

ENTOMOLOGICAL NOTES

By F. L. WASHBURN, Professor of Entomology.

University of Minnesota.

A SILVER PRUNE IN BLOOM AT MINNETONKA.

May 19, 1916.—­The writer has a small silver prune grafted on hardy root, which he obtained from Mr. Arrowood, Nevis, Minn., now in bloom at his experimental garden at Minnetonka—­not many flowers, it is true, but in bloom just the same.  This tree is not more than two feet high, and was somewhat protected by a rabbit protector and high snow.  Other plums in the Entomologist’s orchard, (one acre) are now nearly full of bloom:  Hanska, Skuya, Opata and other Hansen hybrids, as well as trial plums from the University fruit breeding farm.

We have top worked this spring Hibernals, and Patten’s Greenings with Stark’s Delicious, Grimes Golden, King David and Johnathan.

One-half of this land slopes sharply to the north and the other half more gently to the south, clay, loam with clay subsoil, offering favorable conditions for orchard work as well as work with grapes, small fruits and vegetables.