38 PLANTING. 



Treading should be avoided, as it renders the soil cohesive, which in stiff or 

 heavy land is an evil of great magnitude to newly-planted roots. In light 

 soils, however, a slight pressure, with the foot to keep the plant steady 

 in its place is necessary, particularly if the weather is dry during the 

 season of planting ; but in cases where it is practicable, it is much more 

 beneficial to settle, the earth about the roots of the plants by a free 

 application of water in the usual manner. 



It is the best and most expeditious practice to have one set of men 

 to make the holes, and another to finish the planting. When different 

 species of trees are to be mixed in the plantation, and in unequal 

 proportions, each species is successively distributed and planted. What 

 we have already stated 'respecting the great importance to the success of 

 the plants of not suffering the roots to be dried by exposure to the sun 

 or wind, may render it unnecessary to urge here, that the distribution of 

 the plants on the ground should not be farther in advance than just to 

 keep the planters fully employed. Before laying the plants out on the 

 spots where they are to be planted, it is a most useful practice to dip 

 the roots in water, or in a puddle made of water and rich mould. In 

 planting on a confined scale, the plants may be distributed as before, 

 and two workmen may proceed to open the pits on the spots. As soon 

 as the hole is opened, one of the operators places the roots of the 

 plant in the hole, while the other wiih his spade finishes the process as 

 above directed. By this method the holes can be made proportionate 

 to the size of the roots of the different plants, which, when of various 

 species, are oftentimes also of different sizes. When circumstances war- 

 rant the previous preparation of the soil necessary to this mode of 

 planting, it should be adopted, as being the most perfect and effective. 



Furrow planting is performed by opening a furrow with the trenching 

 plough, or with two common ploughs ; the one succeeding the other in 

 the same trench or furrow, and opening it to the depth required by the 

 roots of the trees. The roots being placed in the furrow at the proper 

 distances, the workman with the spade finds no difficulty in obtaining the 

 necessary quantity of pulverized soil to complete the work. This mode 

 of planting lias been practised with success on the Duke of Bedford's 

 estates in Bedfordshire* and in Buckinghamshire in the neighbourhood of 

 Wohurn. The implement employed was a very strong plough, drawn by 

 nd opening a furrow from twelve to sixteen 'inches deep, 

 turning the sward or heath over on each side. This was followed by a 

 iller or "-rubber of three lines, which completely stirred and pulverized 

 the soil. On light land eight acres a day was done in this way, but the 

 soil must be light and free from large stones or other obstructions. 



That e\tcnsi\e and valuable plantations have been made by .s7// planting 1 



(here are abundant proofs, and on elevated, thin, light soils incumbent on 



rock, 01 \\here trenching eniinot be effected or the furrow plough be used, 



this mode ma\ be adopted with economy and success. Hefore planting by 



this method, however, it i-, essential to know the precise nature of the 



subsoil, and that there doe-; not exist a hardened stratum, impervious to 



neath the surface, which frequently happens in heaths, or siliceous 



mds, it generally consists of the heath-soil in a compact layer 



about an inch thick, containing a large proportion of oxide of iron, and 



impervious to water. Beneath, and next to this, is generally grey or white 



I, surcharged with water; and whenever trees are planted, by the slit 



mode, on soils so constituted, they never make any healthy growth, but 



perish so soon as the roots reach the hardened stratum: trenching, or the 



furrow plough must be employed in such cases to destroy the impervious 



