Planting on Hard Ground. 



By ANDEEW slater, Wtreside Cottage, I.a.\caster. 



Now that the principles of planting have been laid down in the 

 Journal, it would perhaps not be out of place to give a few remarks 

 on a system adapted for planting on ground of a nature that may be 

 too hard for the insertion of a spade. Those who may have had to 

 conduct planting operations in hilly districts will, at times, have found 

 a difficulty in having the plants inserted so as to insure success, owing 

 to rocky debris, and the shingly nature of the slopes and valleys. 



A system of planting, termed "crowbar planting," has been adopted' 

 for over the last twenty years on some estates near Llangollen 

 and up the valley of the Dee, and it has been found to answer 

 successfully on the hill-sides and stony ground of that district. 



The bars in use are about three feet nine inches long, by about 

 two inches square at one end, and drawn out to a sharp point ; the 

 upper half is of round iron, and rather smaller. Each planter is 

 provided with a bar, and should be accompanied by a boy for carry- 

 ing and inserting the plants. The operator strikes the implement 

 into the ground to a sufficient depth, and gives it a jerk in each 

 direction so as to widen the hole as much as possible ; the boy has 

 the roots of the plant gathered in his hand, and immediately the bar 

 is withdrawn he drops them carefully into the hole and presses the 

 plant down to its proper depth ; it is then firmly tramped round with 

 the heel, but if the ground be too hard the implement must be 

 brought into requisition, and the edges of the hole punched in and 

 firmly fastened round the neck of the plant. One man and a boy if 

 used to the work, and the ground at all favourable, will plant about 

 one thousand plants per day. 



On first hearing of the above system I was rather sceptical as to the 

 after success of the plantations so formed ; but having occasion to be in 

 the neighbourhood mentioned, I had an opportunity of looking over 

 some of them, and I found that they had done well and were thriving 

 wonderfuliy, considering the hard and shingly nature of the ground. 

 Although I did not see any that had been recently planted, I am 

 inclined to think they would take a few years to start away freely, 

 owing to the roots being confined so close together, and the hardness 

 of the sides of the holes caused by the action of the bar, requiring to 



