128 PRACTICAL FORESTRY 
so that it is soft, the planter carefully places the plant 
in the ground with his hands, as nearly as possible 
as it was in the nursery, and then with his foot presses 
the earth tight around it. On they go in line in this 
way all day and every day while the weather per- 
mits. Nothing further is done, and Nature is trusted 
to give a shower now and then, which usually occurs 
in mountainous districts in the spring of the year. 
With large plants more care is necessary. 
Some planting is done with an iron dibble. This 
is quicker, but of use only in soft soil, where there 
are no weeds and roots. Weeds must be removed 
from the immediate vicinity of the little plant. Being 
more vigorous and already well established, weeds, 
especially grass, steal the moisture and nutriment 
from the young plant. In many places and with many 
species, planting in this way would end in complete 
failure. This would be so in dry, sandy districts and 
on our Western plains. 
In Australia little eucalyptus-trees are grown in 
short pieces of bamboo. These are placed perpen- 
dicularly in the ground, and in time rot and are split 
by the growing roots. In other places little baskets 
and boxes containing the plantlets are put in the 
ground, and in other instances, as with coffee, the 
plantlet is grown in a block of turf. It is sometimes 
necessary to plant first, hardy shelter trees. Some 
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