THE BEST METHOD OF PLANTING AT HIGH ALTITUDES. 4 I 



the plant is transplanted. The wind which gets a good hold 

 of the foliage causes the plant to rock about, and gradually 

 forms a small circular hole, termed a " collar," round the stem ; 

 the rain then gets into this hole, and by the loosening of the 

 surrounding soil it is soon enlarged, till finally the tree falls 

 over on to the side farthest away from the prevailing wind. 

 Again, the use of large plants is often a cause of making the 

 trees club-rooted owing to improper planting. Especially is 

 this the case in notch planting. 



On the other hand, the small 2-year seedling plants do not 

 stand above the surrounding herbage, and therefore do not 

 suffer so much from the wind. The roots soon grow and spread 

 in the prepared pits, and by the time the young plants get to 

 be 12 or 15 inches in height, they are firmly anchored and able 

 to withstand the force of the storm. The small plants also 

 suffer less by removal from the nursery to the plantation, and 

 recover more quickly from the change. I have noticed a height- 

 growth of 6 inches during the first season after planting out 

 in 2-year-old Scots fir plants, while 2-year 2-year plants more 

 often make less than 3 inches. 



For the above reasons, small plants are more successful than 

 larger ones, while the planting work is more cheaply done with 

 them, and thus the financial prospects of the crop are more 

 favourable than if larger plants had been used. 



In planting high altitudes and steep hillsides, it is advisable 

 to commence operations at the top of the intended plantation 

 and work towards the bottom, as by doing so the danger to the 

 young plants of dislodged stones rolling down the hillside is 

 avoided, and the workmen do not require to pass and repass 

 amongst the newly planted trees ; these bring frequent sources 

 of injury to young larch plants. Again, by commencing 

 operations at the top, advantage is taken of the favourable 

 weather conditions which are often found to prevail toward the 

 end of autumn; and when the days become shorter less time 

 will be lost if the men have not to climb to the top. 



A matter of considerable importance is the getting of plants 

 on to the planting area. At Thirlmere, there is a good roadway 

 running all round the lake, but there are no roads passable to 

 carts leading on to the fells. The plants are carted from the 

 nurseries to the most convenient point for getting them taken 

 up the fell, but from the place where the cart leaves them 



