54 FAEM FOEESTRY 



eral the seedlings should be set in the ground at about the 

 same depth that they stood in the nursery. The soil should be 

 pressed in against the roots as well as downward, so that no 

 air spaces will be left, and the roots placed as nearly as pos- 

 sible in a natural position. The earth should be made firm 

 about the trees. 



With small trees the slit method is often used with success. 

 This consists in thrusting a spade or grub hoe in the ground 

 and working it back and forth so that a wedge-shaped hole is 

 made. The roots of the seedling are then inserted back of the 

 spade in the cleft thus formed. The spade is removed and 

 the earth pressed with the foot firmly against the plant. This 

 is a very rapid method and fairly cheap and successful where 

 the soil is not too dry or poor. Care must be taken to get 

 the roots deep down in the cleft. A folded root will usually 

 die. 



The surest method is the individual hole method. The 

 grass and weeds are stripped off a spot about 12 to 18 inches 

 square with the grub hoe or mattock, a hole is dug in the center 

 and the tree planted by hand, the roots being spread out in 

 a natural position. Long straggly or broken roots should be 

 pruned off neatly. This is a slower and more expensive 

 method than the slit method, but it is more successful, 

 especially where the conditions are not very good. With larger 

 seedlings it is the only method that can be used successfully. 



Trees are sometimes planted in plowed furrows. A furrow 

 is turned and the trees placed upright against the side. The 

 sods can then be thrown back in the furrow and pressed 

 against the trees by treading, or a second furrow can be made 

 to throw the sods against the roots. This is a rapid and 

 very cheap method, and in good soil has proved successful 

 with many kinds of trees, such as cottonwood, maple, ash, and 

 also with pine and spruce. It is especially applicable with 

 poplar and willow cuttings. 



The usual method of planting is for the men to work in 



