Preparing Ground for Planting. 413 



well harrowed or grubbed afterwards, plants will soon take to their 

 new position, and make more vigorous growths for several years, 

 than if they were planted in unploughed ground. When land is to 

 be planted which has been for many years under cultivation by the 

 plough, the preliminary preparation should be to a greater depth than 

 the previous ploughing for farm crops. In some parts of Scotland 

 ploughing for planting is performed by oxen instead of horses when 

 the ground is very rough and stony, or where whin or other roots 

 are to be contended with. They are considered not only more 

 powerful, but much steadier in draught than horses, and from their 

 steady pull they are not so likely to break the gears in rough work. 



Trenching is undoubtedly the most permanent and best preparation 

 for young trees and shrubs, but, on the other hand, it is the most 

 expensive, and is accordingly less frequently had recourse to than 

 ploughing. It is generally only adopted in connection with orna- 

 mental planting in parks and pleasure-grounds, or elsewhere on a 

 limited scale. It is also resorted to where a crop of trees have been 

 recently cut down, and the old stumps and roots require to be cleared, 

 and ploughing is impracticable. Where the ground is of a stiff 

 nature, it should be trenched as a rule to about two feet deep, and the 

 top spit or good svn-face soil should always be well kept up on the 

 breast or surface of the trenched ground, so as to secure good soil to 

 insert the roots of the young plants into. 



Draining of young plantations is a course of preparation that can- 

 not safely be dispensed with. The want of sufficient draining is the 

 cause of many failures, both in newly planted trees and in trees of 

 considerable age. Thorough draining not only dries the ground, but 

 has the beneficial effect of cleansing and pulverizing the soil through 

 the action of the rains and atmosphere, and the better the ground 

 has been prepared, whether by ploughing or trenching, the sooner and 

 more surely will the drains have a beneficial effect upon the soil. 



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