Transplanting and Care of Plantation 1 7 



When laying out a plantation we have several aims, tho chief of 

 which are: 



(1) The killing out of grass by canopy as quickly as possible 



to destroy the fire risk. 

 . (2) Saving of cleaning labour. 



(3) Early dropping of lower branches to get a good clean stem. 



(4) Straight growth. 



The fire risk is best met by a first year's thorough cultivation- 

 perhaps in some species by a second year's cleaning also by 

 means of a six disc heavy cultivator, such as is used by Wattle 

 growers. For this implement an espacement of eight feet, in 

 squares, is just right, and will leave practically no hand cleaning 

 to do unless the land has been old and foul. At an espacement 

 of eight feet a good canopy.- sufficient to kill out grass, will be 

 formed, with most species, by the end of the third year. This 

 espacement also causes the early fall of the lower branches, anct 

 the straight forcing upwards of the stem.* 



In marking out the squares it is best to use a chain, and ac- 

 curacy in this work will make all cleaning, thinning, and felling 

 much easier later. A useful chain for laying out plantations? 

 can be made of plain galvanised wire, gauge 8 or 9, with joints 

 six feet apart. This can be made of any desired length. The 

 chain is laid along! the line, and a young tree planted at each 

 joint. Some planters prefer first to put in a small marker (saj T 

 a six-inch length of strong reed or stick) at each joint, and to 

 move on the chain before the actual planting is done. 



If the instructions of Chapter IV. have been carried out, the 

 seedlings will be ready now, equally spaced in tins of 25. Care 

 is necessary in taking them from the tins, so that the roots are 

 disturbed as little as possible. One method is to cut the con- 

 tents into 25 small squares with a long knife, and then to take 

 out. each square intact. Another is to take out one side of the 

 tin and remove each seedling separately from that side. What- 

 ever method is used the object must be to avoid breaking and 1 

 disturbance of roots, some types suffering very considerably from 

 such disturbance. It is an easy matter to make holes at the 

 correct distances with a hoe in the well-pulverised land, and the 

 actual planting and firming of the soil takes very little time. 

 Four good boys should plant an acre a day in good weather. If 

 the trees need watering in, which may be necessary if a wrong 

 estimate of weather conditions has been made, an extra boy will 

 be necessary, hi this case one watering will keep the trees alive 

 for a month, and in most seasons a good rain will have fallen 

 within that time. 



During the first year the land should be twice cultivated. 

 This both prevents the fire risk and conserves moisture in the soil 

 for Winter use. Cultivation will also be necessary the second 

 year, at least once. At the end of the second year most utility 

 types will have closed up their branches. 



*This docs not apply to Pines, wiUtch require much closer planting, ei'lior 3 

 by 3 or 4 by 4 feet. 



