small piece of rag or something else through the line at the
distance of two feet and three-fourths from each other; place it
north and south (or as the land may require), at full length, and
then set a plant at every division, carefully keeping the bud of the
plant above the surface of the ground. Then remove the line three
feet from the first row, and so on, until the planting is completed.
Care ought to be taken to prevent the stretching of the line from
misplacing the plants. In this way the plants can be easily set out,
and a proper direction given to them both ways. In taking the plants
up from the nursery, the ground should be first loosened with a flat
piece of wood or iron, about an inch broad; then carefully holding
the leaves close towards each other between the fingers, draw them
up, and place them in a basket or some other convenient thing to
receive them for planting. After taking up those that can be planted
during the day, water the nursery that the earth may again adhere to
the remaining ones. The evening is the best time for setting out the
plants, but where a large field has to be cultivated it will be well
to plant both morning and evening. The plants set out in the
morning, unless in rainy or cloudy weather, should be covered
immediately, and the same should be done with those planted the
evening previous, should the day open with a clear sunshine,--the
palmetto leaf answers the purpose very well. There should be water
convenient to the plants, so as to have them watered morning and
evening, but more particularly in the evening, until they have taken
root. They should also be closely examined when watered, so as to
replace such plants as happen to die, that the ground may be
properly occupied, and that all the plants may open as nearly
together as possible.

From the time the plants are set out, the earth around them should
be occasionally stirred, both with the hand and hoe. At first hoe
flat, but as soon as the leaves assume a growing disposition, begin
gradually to draw a slight heel towards the plant. The plants must
be closely examined, even while in the nursery, to destroy the
numerous worms that feed upon them--some, by cutting the stalk and
gnawing the leaves when first set out; these resemble the grub-worm,
and are to be found near the injured plant,