124 COME INTO THE GARDEN 



at which the right amount of air and of surface 

 heat will reach them — and their restoration to 

 this depth, particularly at their sensitive and 

 growing tips, is absolutely essential. 



The extra depth of six inches to which the hole 

 is excavated is to be filled in with a mound or 

 pyramid shaped cushion of good soil and well 

 rotted manure, if the latter is available. If not, 

 the soil alone will do, well stirred and loosened 

 so that the lowest rootlets may quickly and 

 easily penetrate it. Make this mound of the 

 right slope and form to conform to the down- 

 ward and outward sweep of the roots ; then place 

 the specimen upon it and jounce it up and 

 down gently, that it may bed itself naturally 

 upon the yielding earth cushion. Make sure 

 now that the plant stands with the earth mark 

 on its bole — or branches if it is a shrub — exactly 

 level with the surface of the ground, and guard 

 carefully against planting it either higher or 

 lower than it stood originally. A straight board 

 or stick long enough to lie on the ground and 

 span the hole, put across it close up against the 

 plant, will show exactly where the surface is 

 coming when the hole is filled. If this is not at 

 the right point, lift the specimen out and add 

 earth or take it out as circumstances require. 



Be careful — scrupulously careful — about all 



