122 POEESTKY WORK 



part of the notch and trodden firm. With this notch the 

 blade of the spade often interferes with the proper 

 arrangement of the roots. 



Small plants should be used when these methods of 

 planting are adopted, as the roots of larger trees are apt 

 to be bent about, to their detriment. 



The straight notch is perhaps the best method of 

 notching where there is a good depth of soil and the 

 roots of the plants are in a natural form and not bent 

 about by careless work in the nursery. 



The most handy tool for this work on light soil is that 

 placed on the market as the " Mansfield " spade. Its 

 blade is 11 inches long and perfectly straight, the sides 

 tapering from 6| inches at the shoulder or tread to 

 3 inches at the point. 



On heavier soils the grubbing iron is sometimes used, 

 but it is a great mistake to notch plants on these soils, 

 because the roots are pressed flat between two sides of 

 stiff soil, made stiffer by the working of the tool, and 

 giving no chance for the young rootlets to start growth. 



In planting with the Mansfield spade, it is inserted to 

 its fuU depth and worked to and fro until a V-shaped 

 hole is made large enough to admit the roots of the plant. 

 These are pushed well down and then gradually drawn 

 up to straighten them, the spade being used to assist. 

 The latter is then inserted about 3 inches away, pulled 

 sharply back to close the bottom of the hole, and then 

 pushed toward the plant to close the top. The ground 

 is then made firm round the plant and along the notch, 

 and the second hole filled in. 



