26 



conditions, the operation might be performed almost any month of the 

 year. As this is impossible in forestry where the operations are usually 

 on a large scale, we must do the work during a season when the plant 

 is in a resting stage. For the climate and conditions of Ontario the 

 early spring seems to be the most suitable. The planting of evergreens 

 is being successfully carried on between the middle of August and the 

 middle of September. 



Handling of Planting Material. 



In cases where the prospective planter receives his planting material 

 from a distance by freight or express it should not be left lying at the 

 office or sheds any'longer than possible. No matter how well the material 

 may have been packed there is danger of overheating, moulding, or ex- 

 cessive drying taking place in the express office or shed owing to lack 



Fig. 13— Heeling in plants. Roots of the plants are placed in trench (a) 

 and then firmly covered with soil (b). 



of air. The treatment upon taking the stock from the express office 

 depends upon local conditions. Where possible, it is best to unpack the 

 plants in the shade. They should never be subjected to the direct rays 

 of the sun. Where the planting cannot be done at once it will be advis- 

 able to unpack the plants and heel them in, in some place protected from 

 the sun. Heeling in is simply covering the roots of the plants with soil 



as in Fig. 13. 



The plants are usually shipped in bundles of from 25 to 50 or 100, 

 and if bundles have been packed tightly it may be advisable to break 

 them open and loosen them up before heeling in. Where possible, the 

 trees should be heeled in near or on the place of planting, and if there is 

 a stream of water near the planting ground it would be well to heel in 

 close by this. 



