430 



SEEDING AND PLANTING 



strips on loam and sand free from roots, stones, and surface 

 vegetation. The tool is made of steel fitted with a straight 

 wooden handle from 12 to 16 inches long. The metallic part is 

 from 8 to 10 inches in length with a blade on one end and .a flat 

 surface for hammering on the other. The blade is slightly 

 curved and 1J inches wide at the cutting edge. The tool weighs 

 approximately 2J pounds. The planting crew is arranged in 

 1-man units. The planting hole is dug with from 1 to 4 

 strokes of the hammer which is held in the right hand and the 

 soil is piled at one side. The plant is held between the thumb and 

 forefinger of the left hand and lowered to the desired depth in the 

 hole. The filling soil is brought in about the roots with the blade 

 of the tool and the earth firmed by 2 or 3 

 strokes of the tool. 



A tool somewhat similar to the planting 

 hammer is extensively used on some of the 

 National Forests. It is known as the 

 short-handled grub-hoe. It is made of 

 pick steel and is fitted with a straight or 

 slightly curved handle 16 inches long. The 

 form of the tool is very similar to that of 

 the ordinary grub-hoe (Fig. 132). It is ; 

 however, much smaller and lighter. The 

 total length of the blade including the eye 

 through which the handle passes is only 

 8 or 9 inches and the cutting edge is only 

 2f inches in width. Its weight, including handle, is about 2 pounds. 

 In using this tool the planting crew is arranged in 1-man units, 

 each workman carrying the plants in a waterproof canvas bag 

 attached to his belt and supported from the shoulder. 



As each planter carries his own trees in a shoulder bag, there is 

 no lost motion in setting down or picking up pails or baskets. No 

 time is lost in adjusting the differences of speed between the men 

 digging the holes and those setting the trees as is common when 

 planting in 2- or 3-man planting units. The spots selected for 

 the holes are very carefully chosen since the man who digs the 

 hole must plant the tree. 



This method has been used successfully in District 1, U. S. 

 Forest Service, particularly in planting small conifers on fresh, 

 loose soil, free from heavy sod. The number o f trees planted per 



FIG. 132. Short-handled 

 grub-hoe. 



