Book II. FORMING PLANTATIONS. 575 



the operation of planting is most successfully performed. The mould does not then 

 adhere to the spade, nor does it run in; it divides well, and is made to intermingle 

 with the fibres of the plants with little trouble ; and in treading and setting the plant 

 upright, the soil is not worked into mortar, which it necessarily must be, if in a wet state, 

 evidently to the great detriment of the plants. It is therefore improper to plant on a 

 retentive soil in the time of rain, or even perhaps for some days afterwards, or after a 

 fall of snow, until it has for some days disappeared. "Whereas, on a dry absorbent soil, 

 it may be proper to plant in the time of gentle showers, immediately after heavy rains, 

 or as soon as the snow is dissolved." {Plant. Kal. 157.) 



3656. Pontey is a decided advocate for autumn preparation of the soil, and spring 

 planting. " Autumn planting," he says, " is advisable only in few cases, v/hile spring 

 planting may properly apply to all." 



3657. According to Sang, the proper time for planting the pine and fir tribes, and all 

 evergreens, is April, or even the first fortnight in May. " Attention should be paid, 

 that no greater number of plants be lifted from tlie nursury than can be conveniently 

 planted on the same day. Damp weather is the best. When very dry, and the plants 

 rise destitute of earth at their roots, their roots should be dipped in mud (puddle) so as 

 to be coated over by it. In all cases, care shtould be taken not to shake off any ad- 

 hering earth from plants at the time of planting." (Plajit. Kal. 341.) 



3658. The operation of inserting the plants in the soil is performed in various ways ;^ 

 the most general mode, and that recommended by Marshal and Nicol, is pitting ; in 

 which two persons are employed, one to operate on the soil with the spade, and the other 

 to insert the plant and hold it till the earth is put round it, and then press down the soil 

 with the foot. Where the plants are three feet high or upwards, this is the best mode ; 

 but for smaller plants modes have been adopted in which one person performs the whole 

 operation. 



3659. Sang describes five kinds of manual operation employed by him in planting, 

 and in part in sowing-trees : by pitting ; by slitting simply, or by cross, or T slitting ; 

 by the diamond dibber ; by the planting-mattock ; and by the planter. In filling an area 

 with plants, he first plants those intended as the final trees, and afterwards the nurses ; or 

 one set of operators plant the former, while another follow with the latter, imless the time 

 for removing the nurses, as in the case of evergreen pines and firs, should be later 

 than that for planting the principals. " The plants, if brought from a distance, 

 should be shoughed, i.e. earthed; or they may be supplied daily from the nursery, as 

 circumstances direct. All the people employed ought to be provided with thick aprons, 

 in which to lap up theplants; the spadesmen, as well as the boys or girls; the latter 

 being supplied by the former as occasion may require. All of them should regularly 

 fill their aprons at one time, to prevent any of the plants being too long retained in any 

 of the planters' aprons. One man cannot possibly set a plant so well with the spade, 

 unless in the case of laying, as two people can ; nor, supposing him to do it as well, 

 can he plant half as many in the same space of time as two can. A boy ten years 

 of age is equal, as a holder, to the best man on the field, and can be generally had 

 for less than half the money. Hence this method is not only the best, but the least 

 expensive." (Plant. Kal. 167.) 



3660. By pitting. " The pit having been dug for several months, the surface will 

 therefore be encrusted by the rains, or probably covered with weeds. The man first 

 strikes the spade downwards to the bottom, two or three times, in order to loosen the 

 soil ; then poaches it as if mixing mortar for the builder ; he next lifts out a spadeful 

 of the earth, or, if necessary, two spadesfuU, so as to make room for all the fibres, without 

 their being anywise crowded together ; he then chops the rotten turf remaining in the 

 bottom, and levels the whole. The boy now places the plant perfectly upright, an inch 

 deeper than when it stood in the nursery, and holds it firm in that position. The man 

 trindles in the mould gently ; the boy gently moves the plant, not from side to side, but 

 upwards and downwards, until the fibres be covered. The man then fills in all the re- 

 maining mould ; and immediately proceeds to chop and poach the next pit, leaving the 

 boy to set the plant upright, and to tread the mould about it. This in stiff wet soil he 

 does lightly ; but in sandy or gravelly soil he continues to tread until the soil no longer 

 retains the impression of his foot. The man has by this time got the pit ready for the 

 next plant, the boy is also ready with it in his hand, and in this manner the operation 

 goes on. On very steep hangs which have been pitted, the following rule ought to be 

 bbserved in planting ; to place the plant in the angle formed by the acclivity and surface 

 of the pit ; and in finishing to raise the outer margin of the pit highest, whereby the plant 

 will be made to stand as if on level ground, and the moisture be retained in the hollow 

 of the angle, evidently to its advantage." {Plant. Kal. 167.) 



3661 . The slit method, either simply or by tlie T method, is not recommended by Sang ; 

 but necessity may justify its adoption occasionally. '* We would not recommend plant- 

 ing by the slit, unless where there is no more soil than is absolutely occupied by the fibres 



