THE LAYING-OUT OF A MIXED PLANTATION. a7 
as these big plants cannot be trodden in, or firmed to withstand 
the force of gales if slit-planted, it is best under such conditions 
to plant them in pits. This operation consists in making a hole 
about a foot square, according to the size of the plant, then insert- 
ing and holding this in position while returning the soil. It is 
best to place the richest soil next the roots, and all stones and 
coarse soil should be put at the top, when the plant should be 
firmly trodden in. On stiff clay soil it is usually the custom to 
dig the holes in autumn. This allows the removed soil, and 
that on the sides of the pit, to get acted on by the atmosphere. 
Should, however, there be any danger of the holes getting filled 
with water, the pitting should be left over until spring. On 
open, loose, porous soil, it is better to defer opening the pits till 
the time of planting arrives, as such soil is apt to get dried up, 
or washed away with heavy rains. The chief point which 
should be attended to in pit-planting is to make the hole deep 
enough to allow the roots to hang down perpendicularly, so that 
none of them are bent round at the bottom of the pit; because, 
when twisted, they very often, especially on hard soil, get water- 
logged, which interferes with their growth. 
The size of plants suitable for pit-planting varies greatly, 
according to the nature of the surface-growth and the exposure, 
but sturdy transplants of about 2 or 3 feet in height, in the 
case of quick-growing kinds, is a good size. On fairly good 
soil, where pit-planting is adopted, the trees should stand about 
4 feet apart, but on poor soil, when slit-planting is practised, the 
young plants may stand closer. 
7. Kinds of Trees suitable for Mixing.—The kinds of trees 
which usually give the best results in mixed woods are oak, 
ash, beech, larch, Spanish chestnut, spruce, silver fir, Douglas 
fir, and Corsican pine. 
Oak.—On deep, moist, loamy soil, at a low elevation, oak is 
almost sure to succeed, but at a high and exposed elevation it is 
useless to plant it. It has a decided objection to chalk, and 
does not like too much clay; a mixture of sand, gravel, and 
clay suits it well. 
The oak is a deep-rooted tree, its tap-roots penetrating a good 
way into the soil, and therefore the advantage of planting it on 
deep soil is manifest. It is always advisable to have oak 
mixed with beech (see below). 
Beech.—The beech is grown more for the benefit of other 
