PKEPAEING THE PLANTING AREA 79 



slope, thus conserving for the use of the plants a great 

 deal of moisture that would otherwise be lost to them. 

 To secure this advantage strips must be ploughed hori- 

 zontally along the face of the slope, and must be as level 

 as possible, otherwise the water will rush to the lowest 

 points and escape. 



(2) By the Use of Spade or Mattock. 



Where it is impossible, owing to roots, etc., to strip the 

 turf by means of ploughing, but the soil is Ught enough 

 for successful notching or dibbling, it should be taken off 

 with a spade or chopped off with a mattock. 



The principal reasons for stripping the turf are — (1) That 

 it prevents herbage from smothering the plants; (2) that 

 it ensures the rootlets of small plants reaching the mineral 

 soil; (3) that it allows the rain to percolate to the roots. 



The mattock is perhaps better than the spade for 

 removing the turf, as by it the soil may be loosened up 

 at the same time, thereby reducing evaporation, which 

 takes place freely from the smooth surface usually left 

 when a spade is used. It is also a very useful tool to 

 loosen very stony soil and to remove large stones before 

 planting with the planting hoe. 



5. The Use of the Spiral Spade. 



This tool may be used with advantage to prepare small 

 patches for the insertion of small transplants or seedlings 

 on the strips or squares from which the turf has been 

 removed. 



The spade is forced into the ground after the manner 



