THE PRACTICAL PLANTER. 



ble intermingles with the fibres ; nor, in the 

 operation of treading and setting the plant 

 upright, is it wrought into a mortar, to the 

 evident prejudice of the plant, whatever wea- 

 ther may ensue. 



Consequently, on a retentive soil, it can- 

 not be proper to plant in time of rain, nor, 

 in many cases, for a day or two afterwards ; 

 nor after a fall of snow, until for several 

 days it has entirely disappeared. Whereas, 

 on a dry absorbent soil it rriay be very pro- 

 per to plant in time of gentle rains, imme- 

 diately after heavy ones, or so soon as the 

 snow is melted. 



And, since I have mentioned snow, J 

 shall here observe, that by reason of it, on 

 very bleak mountainous situations, it may 

 frequently be impracticable to plant till 

 late in the spring. In this case the utmost 

 diligence should be used, from the moment 

 the work can be set about, till it is finally 

 accomplished, by employing a proportion- 

 ate number of hands, so as that the plants 

 may be got in before vegetation be far ad- 

 vanced ; as otherwise success would be ren- 

 dered doubtful, not only on account of 



