94 A MANUAL OF FORESTRY. 



withes. The whole package is covered with matting. 

 In the case of small or middle-sized plants two layers are 

 packed together with the roots in the centre and the 

 crowns outwards on both sides. Plants packed in this 

 manner keep fresh for a week, provided they are so 

 packed that no heating takes place. 



On arrival at their destination the plants should be at 

 once unpacked, and either planted out, or bedded in 

 earth until they can be planted. The imbedding is best 

 done by arranging the small bundles in trenches and 

 covering the roots and part of the stem with moist 

 soil. If necessary, shelter against the sun or dry 

 winds may also be provided, and the plants may be 

 watered. 



12. Preparation of the Soil. 



Only in very rare cases does the soil require complete 

 working before planting, and in such cases it is done by 

 one of the methods indicated for direct sowing. As a 

 general rule planting requires only partial working at 

 the spots where the plants are inserted into the ground, 

 or none at all. The worked area of a planting spot 

 ranges upwards from a few square inches, and rarely ex- 

 ceeds two or three square feet in sylvicultural operations 

 conducted on a large scale. The actual method of work- 

 ing the soil depends on the method of planting ; hence 

 it will be described when dealing with the latter. 



II. RAISING PLANTS. 



Plants can be procured either by purchase or home 

 production ; in the latter case they can be taken from 



