ESTABLISHING FORESTS BY PLANTING 437 



sod or sods are now brought over the south side, the edges well 

 overlapping those of the first. This arrangement, when properly 

 executed, gives the soil beneath the greatest protection from be- 

 coming overdry in summer. The stem of the plant rises from the 

 top of the mound between the edges of the overlapping sods. 



This method of planting is very costly. An average day's work 

 including the distribution of the culture soil, the formation of the 

 mounds, the setting of the plants, and the covering of the mounds, 

 permits the planting of from 90 to 120 trees. Under this culture, 

 however, growth is very rapid with most shallow-rooted trees, 

 and excellent results have been obtained in Europe even in ex- 

 ceptionally dry years. 



Although special tools have been constructed in Europe for use 

 in this method of planting, ordinary planting implements, such 

 as the grub-hoe and spade, may be used in forming and covering 

 the mounds. The chief advantages claimed for this method are 

 as follows: * 



a. The decayed grass and forest weeds just beneath the roots 

 of the plant provide a rich source of nourishment for its early 

 development. 



6. The application of the culture soil promotes early growth 

 and later development of the plant, owing to its contained ashes 

 and other fertilizing materials and because of its physical condi- 

 tion. 



c. The mound soil remains moist for a long time owing to its 

 sod cover. The evaporation of the contained water is very slow 

 through the thick mulch. Furthermore the soil in the mound is 

 warmer than is the case with soil not raised above the general 

 level. 



d. The plants are exposed to much more light when on mounds 

 than is likely to be the case when set by ordinary methods or 

 in pits. 



Leaving the mound uncovered after planting reduces the cost 

 by one-half but owing to the rapid drying out of the soil is unsafe 

 under most conditions. 



This method is best adapted for coarse, gravelly or hard clay 

 soils that under ordinary methods of planting are almost certain 

 to give poor results. 



1 Manteuffel, F. von: Ueber das Verhalten der Hugelpflanzungen. (All- 

 gemeine Forst- u. Jagd-Zeitung, S. 85-89. 1861.) 



