66 



A MANUAL OF FORESTRY. 



wet soil, as the water is likely to collect on the seed- 

 beds ; this would, on the other hand, be an advantage 

 in localities with a scanty rainfall. Where a strong 

 growth of tall weeds is apprehended, the patches must 

 be of sufficient size to prevent the plants from being 

 overgrown. 



c. Solving in Holes, or Dibbling. 



Sowing in holes means sowing in patches of such 

 limited extent that only a few seeds are sown in 

 each. The soil may be worked with 

 an ordinary hoe of small size, with a 

 spade or with specially constructed 

 modifications of the latter, such as 

 the spiral spade (Fig. 34). On stony 

 soil the pick may be used. The 

 spiral spade is forced into the ground 

 and then turned round, so that a 

 seed-hole filled with loose soil is 

 produced. The seed is either pressed 

 into the soil to the required depth, or 

 placed on the surface and covered by 

 hand with a sufficient quantity of fine 

 earth, which is gently pressed down. 

 If the seed-bed is still smaller and consists simply of 

 a narrow hole sufficient to take one or two seeds, which 

 are sown without any preparation of the soil, the method 

 is called " dibbling" The minute holes are made with 

 a peg, dibbling mallet, dibbling spade, or any other suit- 

 able tool. The instrument is inserted into the ground 

 to the required depth, withdrawn, the seed placed in the 

 opening thus produced, and the latter closed again either 



Fig. 34. 



