PLANTING. 125 



this was the practice ; and the late Sir Joseph 

 Banks, when he planted groups of trees with stems 

 five inches or six inches in diameter, on a portion 

 of Hounslow Heath, which was allotted to his resi- 

 dence there, planted only stumps ten feet or twelve 

 feet high, which stumps are now finely-headed 

 trees, conspicuous from the road in passing Spring 

 Grove. Much has of late been written on the sub- 

 ject of transplanting large trees, by Sir Henry 

 Steuart and others ; and the practice has been re- 

 commended of leaving on the whole of the head. 

 Experience, however, hns proved that this can 

 only be done with advantage, under certain circum- 

 stances. 



Planting in pots, when the plants are of the very 

 smallest size, may be effected by a small dibber, as 

 in planting in the common soil ; but it is more fre- 

 quently done on the principle of planting in pits ; 

 that is, the pot being properly drained by a few 

 potsherds being placed over the hole in the bottom 

 of the pot, and an inch or two of soil placed over 

 them, according to the size of the pot, the young 

 seedling or newly-struck cutting is held with one 

 hand, and soil sprinkled over the roots by a trowel 

 with the other. When the pot is filled, the soil is 

 consolidated by lifting the pot with both hands a 

 few inches high, and setting it down once or twice 

 with a slight jar ; afterwards supplying water so 

 as to moisten the whole of the soil in the pot. 

 The thumb, or a potting-stick, should previously be 

 passed round the inner edge of the pot, so as to 

 firm the soil round the rim ; otherwise the water is 

 liable to run down round the edge of the pot, with- 

 out moistening the soil in the middle. Immediate- 

 ly after planting, the pot should be set in a position 



