FORESTRY. 1 05 



done by the use of the shovel or spade, and it can be accomplished quite 

 rapidly if pToperly managed. An excellent method is adopted by Mr. 

 Robert Douglas, probably the most extensive planter of forest trees in the 

 country. Mr. Douglas describes it as follows : 



" Before the planting is commenced, the harrow and roller are run 

 over the land, and after that the marker, marking off the ground four feet 

 each way, the same as for corn. The workmen are then divided off into 

 companies of three each, or two men and one boy, the two men with 

 spades, and the boy with a bundle of trees. The two men with spades 

 plant on adjoining rows, the tree-holder standing between them. The 

 planter strikes his spade vertically into the ground on the running line 

 close up to the cross mark, then raises a spadeful of earth, the boy inserts 

 the tree, the earth is replaced, the planter places his foot close up to the 

 stem of the tree bearing on his full weight and passes on to the next 

 mark. This tightening of the tree is the most essential part of the work. 

 The boy is kept quite busy attending two planters. After ? little experi- 

 ence the boy will learn to bring each tree out of his bundle, with a circu- 

 lar upward motion, that will spread out the roots when placed in the 

 ground about as evenly as they could be placed with the hand. The 

 three persons will plant at least 4,500 trees in a ten-hour day. 



When we consider that by this method the trees are planted in a 

 straight line, at a proper depth, the roots spread out, and the earth firmly 

 packed over them, we think it much better than any other method. Dr. 

 Warder named this the " Douglas Three-Motion system," as three motions 

 of the spade are required in planting each tree. 



When a great number of men are employed, time is saved by having 

 a man follow in the rear, handing the bundle of trees to the tree-holders. 

 We found that one man could attend thirty to sixty workmen. He would 

 follow with a wagon load of trees close in the rear, and whenever he saw 

 a boy on his last dozen, he would throw him a bundle, the boy would put 

 it under his arm, and use it after he had disposed of the few in his hand. 

 We use a two-horse cultivator among the trees during the summer, and 

 the cultivation is just as simple as for corn. Working up the earth to and 

 from the trees alternately, we use no hoes, as careless workmen will injure 

 a great many trees with this instrument, while horses will rarely injure a 

 tree, and they can be worked so close to the trees that a weed rarely needs 

 to be pulled by hand." 



