PREPARING GROUND FOR PLANTING. 45 



face of the ground, on account of expense, the next 

 best thing to do is to go over the ground, and by 

 means of the common breast spade (flaughter) pare off 

 the turf in each place where the j)lant is to be put in, 

 regulating the distance from centre to centre of the 

 pared surface according to the distance at which the 

 trees are to be planted. 



It should always be observed in planting that the 

 stem of the plant be not buried too deep in the ground, 

 which is unavoidable where there is a surface two or 

 three inches thick to pass through before the rootlets 

 enter the active soil. Again, the preservation of the 

 lower branches from anything that would interfere with 

 their free development is equally as important as that 

 of allowing freedom to the roots ; for it should always 

 be borne in mind that there is a very intimate and 

 close connection between the two, and anything that 

 impedes the development of the one also injures the 

 other ; therefore, to place the plant in its most favour- 

 able position, its roots should be near the surface of 

 the ground, and its lower branches in close proximity 

 to the roots, which, in the case of small plants at least, 

 it is impossible to do where a thick matted surface or 

 rough herbage exists. 



Another method sometimes adopted in preparing 

 ground for the reception of plants is that of plough- 

 ing it, and to this there is no objection if it can be 

 properly done, which unfortunately is but rare, for the 

 simple reason that comparatively little ground is planted 

 on that can be ploughed. 



