•~>0 TRANSACTIONS OF ROYAL SCOTTISH LRBOBICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



in the planting of conifers lias, almost universally, been that of 

 "notching," the cost of which, per acre stocked, has thus ''ecu 

 compared with that of pitting: — 



Digging 3500 pits, 



rutting in plants, . 

 Purchase of 2 year I year Scots 

 firs, at 10s. per 1000, . 



l : I 11 6 £2 7 3 



Thai is to say, the initial COSt of pitting has been exactly double 



that of notching. But this Eact alone does not suffice bo decide 

 the question, for all parts of the estate, in favour of notching; for 

 in places where either the soil is very shallow or the sod is very 

 thick, there are obvious objections to that system. In such places, 

 at any rate, the filling up of death-vacancies must cause a serious 

 addition to the initial cost; while, especially if one or two dry 

 seasons should occur before the young plants have fully established 

 themselves, the rate of growth of the young crop will probably be 

 slower than it would have been had the plants been pitted. Then 

 again, by the use, where the soil-covering is low, of two-year seedling 

 plants of Scots fir and larch, put in with a peg where the soil is 

 light ; as well as by the adoption of an improved pattern of planting 

 spade, suited for small sized plants; a reduction may be eil'ected in 

 the average cost of putting plants into the ground with their roots 

 disposed naturally, as contrasted with the position they are forced 

 into under the notching system. Ami further, if advantage be taken 

 of all natural growth that can be raised, and if this be supplemented, 

 in suitable places, by direct sowing, the savings thus effected may 

 enable a thoroughly successful system of planting to be adopted 

 in less favourable localities, without increasing the present average 

 cost per acre taken over the whole area annually restocked. In 

 other words, if the work can he cheapened in some places, more 

 may be spent in others without thereby increasing the total 

 expenditure. 



The advantages of securing the effective restocking of the ground 

 at the first effort are obvious; and it is clearly permissible to make 

 some initial pecuniary sacrifice in order to secure that most desir- 

 able end. On this estate a large amount of " beating up " (filling 



