52 



Tree Planting and Tree Felling 



on purpose (Fig. 28). By driving it into the ground and 

 working it backwards and forwards a slit is made into 

 which the root is placed. The slit is filled up by driving 

 the spade into the ground a little further on (Fig. 29). 

 The reason you use this method is that, while the pine 

 has a number of small roots, the oak has a single tap 

 root which goes straight down 

 into the ground. The trees may 

 now be left to grow until they 

 become inconveniently crowded. 

 In about five years' time you 

 will probably find that the pines 

 are quite overshadowing the oaks 

 and must be removed. Trees 

 may be felled with the axe or 

 saw or by using both. In cases 

 like this one, where the trees 

 have no tap roots, it is some- 

 times possible to saw through 

 the roots and so fell the tree. 

 In this way the whole trunk can 

 be used. Besides which the 

 ground is left clear to plant new 

 trees. Another method of tree 

 felling that is more commonly 

 used is the following : The man 

 who is to do it first decides on 



which side he wants a tree to fall. Then, when he has 

 taken off some of the branches, he makes with an axe 

 a deep notch on that side. He now takes a saw and, 

 beginning on the opposite side, saws the trunk through. 

 As there is no support where the notch has been cut, 

 down comes the tree in that direction (Fig. 31 a). A 



Fig. 28. Tool used in plant- 

 ing young Oaks and other 

 similar trees. 



