272 THE PRACTICAL PLANTER. 



smallest fibre should be retained. At alt 

 times, until replanted, let the roots be ex- 

 posed to the air as little as possible. 



C 2dly. FOKMING THE THORN BED, AND 



LAYING THE PLANTS, follows next in 

 course. Having fixed on the situation of 

 the ditch, the side next the plantation or 

 field to be fenced is rutted off by the line : 

 The person rutting stands with his face out- 

 wards, and holds the spade in such a posi- 

 tion as to form the slope of the ditch as he 

 proceeds to the depth of the rut. If ley, 

 pare off the sward, as thin as possible, to the 

 breadth of a foot, all along on the side from 

 the rut towards where the banking is to lie. 

 This is cleaning the scarcement beforehand, 

 and is done to prevent a rank growth of 

 herbage the following season, which might 

 do the young plants much injury, and occa- 

 sion a deal of trouble in cleaning. If the 

 land in question has been in tillage the pre- 

 ceding season, this will be unnecessary. 



Now, run another rut along by the line, 

 on the surface of what afterwards is to be- 

 come the ditch, at a foot from the former. 

 Go along, and notch the interspace cross- 



