402 JOURNAL OF FORESTRY 



Table 3 



Row Number Average Row Number Average 



No. of trees height No. of trees height 



1 13 14-0 4 13 139 



2 24 12.7 5 23 19.0 



3 24 15.4 6 13 15-7 



Total survivals "mound" planted, 60; total survivals "side-hole" planted, 50. 



Again, it is seen that in no case is the average height of trees in the 

 even-numbered rows as great as that of the adjacent odd-numbered 

 rows. 



An examination of root systems shows a striking contrast in trees 

 planted by the two methods. In stock planted by the "mound" method 

 the roots grow uniformly in all directions. The roots of stock planted 

 by the "side-hole" method, however, show a marked tendency to grow 

 one-sided, the growth being away from the side of the hole toward the 

 looser soil within. 



The effect of layers of compact soil in shaping a root system has been 

 repeatedly demonstrated in nursery work. The root systems of west- 

 ern yellow pine transplanted by the usual "trencher" method invariably 

 develop only in the plane corresponding to the longitudinal axis of the 

 trench. In this method of transplanting, the seedlings are set in narrow 

 trenches formed by forcing a tool, roughly resembling a large spade, 

 excepting that it is wedge-shaped in cross-section, into the soil. Al- 

 though the soil of a transplant bed is usually in a fine state of cultiva- 

 tion, the walls of the trench become more or less compacted, due to the 

 wedge-like action of the "trencher," together with the sidewise move- 

 ment usually applied in driving it into the soil. 



In both field planting and nursery planting the extension of roots is 

 probably controlled as much by initial direction as by difference in soil 

 texture. In field planting, when a plant is placed against the side of a 

 hole, if the hole is not quite deep enough or if the side is not truly verti- 

 cal, the tips of the longer roots are turned toward the interior and are 

 apt to continue in this direction. In nursery transplanting the roots, 

 in addition to being confined within the more or less compact walls of 

 the trench, are actually pressed into one plane during the process of 

 filling and compacting the trench. 



While it is doubtful whether the advantage in survival and rate of 

 growth indicated would warrant the additional expense involved in 

 "mound"-planting trees, it seems very evident that more care should be 

 taken to spread the roots out as carefully as possible. To that end the 

 holes should be made larger, especially at the bottom. This might be 



