PLANTING. 105 



The compartments should be separated by roads, 

 which cross each other at right angles. Their breadth 

 depends on circumstances ; in most cases it is desirable 

 to make the main roads sufficiently broad to admit carts 

 or waggons. The roads are excavated to a depth of G 

 to 12 inches, the soil being spread over the adjoining 

 land and then filled in with a layer of macadam or 

 coarse gravel, covered by a thinner layer of fine gravel 

 or sand, in such a manner that the surface slopes gently 

 from the centre towards the sides. A useful measure is 

 to line the roads by an edging of a suitable plant 

 (privet, box, &c.), which helps to keep them tidy. 



In the case of heavy seeds, such as acorns, chestnuts, 

 &c., the whole compartment is sometimes sown broad- 

 cast, or in lines at such distances that a man can walk 

 between them, and then no further division is required. 

 In the majority of cases, however, the compartments 

 destined for sowing are divided into parallel beds inter- 

 sected by paths. These beds should not be more than 

 4 feet broad, so that a man can easily reach from the 

 path to the centre of the bed without treading on it. 

 The paths are of just sufficient breadth to allow a man to 

 walk along them. Where the seed-beds are to be irri- 

 gated by overflow, the paths should be on a higher level 

 than the beds, so as to act as embankments to keep the 

 water on the beds. 



j. Sowing the Seed-beds. 



The surface of the seed-beds having been reduced to 

 a fine degree of division, the seed is sown, either broad- 

 cast or in lines or drills ; the latter is frequently preferred, 



