THE ROHRWIESER 

 HOLLOW BORER. 



46 TRANSACTIONS OF ROYAL SCOTTISH ARBORICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



that country, especially for planting seedlings with the original 

 earth round their roots. As the plant is taken up by the same 

 instrument with which the plant-hole is 

 made, the ball of earth round the roots fills 

 the latter exactly and no disturbance in the 

 growth is experienced. On forest soils of 

 the better classes, where neither a deep 

 working up of the surface nor manuring are 

 required, the Jansa answers well, but like 

 most implements of its kind, it has two 

 serious defects. It requires considerable 

 force to press it into the ground, especially 

 when the soil is penetrated by numerous 

 small roots, and the holes cannot be made 

 deeper than the length of the cylinder. 



The Rohrwieser Hollow Borer ^ has neither 

 of these drawbacks. It enters the soil by 

 means of a rotatory cutting motion which requires a minimum 

 of force, and is effective even where the ground is full 

 of roots, so long as the blades are kept sharp. It works 

 easily up to a depth of 60 centimetres. The instrument, as will 

 be seen from the accompanying drawing, is not complicated, 

 and the use of it is very simple. It is pressed in to the ground, 

 and a double turn fills it to a depth of 20 centimetres with soil, 

 which, when the borer is withdrawn and one side of the cylinder 

 loosened, is deposited near the plant-hole; a second such 

 operation will deepen the plant-hole to 40 centimetres, which 

 may be increased up to 60 centimetres. The best of the soil near 

 the hole can then be selected for planting, and if it be insufficient 

 more surface soil can be bored out in the immediate vicinity, or 

 peat can be added, if it be obtainable. 



The actual planting is done in the following manner : — The 

 plant, being properly shaken, so that the roots may assume 

 their natural position, is held by one hand in the middle of the 

 plant-hole, at the proper height. The soil is then dibbled in 

 with the other hand ; long side roots are, where necessary, 

 placed in their proper position, the hole is filled in to the top 



1 The only makers in Germany are Messrs Bach & Mahlow, Berlin, 

 C. 54. Sophien Str., 32-33. Any good blacksmith in this country could easily 

 copy it ; the cutting edges must be of good steel and sharp. [A specimen of the 

 implement may be seen in the Edin. University Forestry Museum. — Hon. Ed.] 



