Hints for Planters. 411 



evaporation in dry weather, and absorbs too nuicli nioistnre in 

 winter, and, being a slow process, increases the cost of planting very 

 considerably. 



Slitting or notching is certainly the best system of planting. It 

 commends itself by being the most expeditious. There are four 

 kinds of notches, all well adapted to varying circumstances : the 

 T (tee) form is very answerable in stiff ground ; the L (ell) for small 

 plants ; the H (aitch) for a tough surface and large-rooted plants ; 

 and the + (cross) for deep surface and large plants. 



It is advisable to pare off the surface before putting down the tree ; 

 to do this entails very little extra labour. The planter stoops low, 

 and with a smart horizontal swoop of his spade pares off a thin scraw, 

 and exposes the fresh soil beneath. 



In making the notch the operator strikes his spade into the 

 ground perfectly perpendicular and as deep as possible, and by again 

 striking across the first slit a notch is made similar to one of the 

 letters shown above, which, by bending down the handle, is suffi- 

 ciently opened to receive the plant. If the incision is well made, a 

 smart blow with the heel on each side of the plant is all that is 

 required to firm it in the ground. Great care should be taken to see 

 that the roots are all well under the sod and the plant straight. 

 Much depends on the first cut. An expert spadesman amalgamates 

 the operation of paring off a scraw with the making of the notch, 

 and will, with a boy holding the plants, put in from 1,000 to 1,500 

 plants per day of ten hours. 



Planters should be arranged into squads of 20 or 30 spadesmen, 

 with one boy or girl to attend two men, and one or two stronger boj^'s 

 carrying and supplying the planters with plants from the " stock," 

 " sheugh," or " bed ; " the whole gang to be under one foreman, 

 whose duty is to superintend the work and see it properly performed. 



On laying the men out for the work the most experienced hands 

 should be placed at each side to act as leaders. The squad should 

 work from side to side. 



Commencing in the morning at the fence, the leading man after 

 putting in his plant moves off 8 ft., the second spade putting his 

 plant between the leader's two, but 4 ft. behind, and each succeeding 

 man follows inserting his plant between the preceding man's two, 

 until the limits of the enclosure is reached, wdien the foreman gives 

 the order " reverse," and each man falls back one space, puts in a 

 plant, and without the least confusion as to places makes the spade 

 once the rear now the leader on the return journey. 



By this system the foreman is able to detect the smallest irregu- 

 larity, and by moving backwards and forwards can see every plant 

 put into its place, 



