There is no one so economical of
time as the hired man whose time is paid for. He is ever bent on
saving a minute or half-minute in this kind of work. On one
occasion I had to reset a good part of an acre on which my men had
saved time in planting. If I had asked them to save the plants in
the year of '86, they might have "struck."
The first row having been set out, I advise that the line be moved
forward three feet. This would make the rows three feet apart--not
too far in ground prepared as described, and in view of the
subsequent method of cultivation. The bed may therefore be filled
up in this ratio, the plants one foot apart in the row, and the
rows three feet apart. The next point in my system, for the kind
of soil named (for light, sandy soils another plan will be
indicated), is to regard each plant as an individual that is to be
developed to the utmost. Of course only young plants of the
previous season's growth should be used. If a plant has old,
woody, black roots, throw it away. Plants set out in April will
begin to blossom in May. These buds and blossoms should be picked
off ruthlessly as soon as they appear. Never does avarice
overreach itself more completely than when plants are permitted to
bear the same season in which they are set out. The young, half-
established plant is drained of its vitality in producing a little
imperfect fruit; yet this is permitted even by farmers who would
hold up their hands at the idea of harnessing a colt to a plow.
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