CHAPTER XVIII 

 PLANTING AND BEDDING 

 Too Deep Planting. 



As with a child, so with a plant ; it is of great importance 

 that we should give it a fair start in life, and if afterwards 

 things go wrong as they often will do we can gaze on 

 the scene with a calmness of conscience. Notwithstanding 

 that the right method of planting has been taught over 

 and over again by description, by figures, and by practical 

 lessons, the hard and stubborn fact remains that few plants 

 are planted as they should be. And mark ! the fault is not 

 confined to one particular class of trees, nor to one class of 

 people, but it extends right along the line, whether it be 

 fruit-tree, timber-tree, shrub, flower, or pot plant. The 

 greatest fault committed has reference to the depth at which 

 the trees should be planted. The idea would seem to be 

 that it is necessary to get the roots not only out of sight, 

 but away from the reach of air, and sufficiently low down 

 to supply anchorage to the top, and thereby prevent it 

 from toppling over. If this is really the impression it is 

 an erroneous one. The roots of a tree have need of air as 

 well as the branches, though not to the same extent. With- 

 out the presence of a sufficiency of air in the soil no change 

 can take place in the constituents of the soil which would 

 in any way be favourable to the plant. It is an essential 

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