i6 



FOREST PLANTING. 



stant. D.eciduous trees without leaves are less sensitive. In 

 foliage they should never be moved. Nurserymen now make it 

 a rule to leave a quantity of earth about the roots of all ever- 

 greens over 18 inches high and keep it in place by a piece of 

 sacking (ball plants), but this is not necessary with smaller 

 plants if the roots are kept moist. When the box or package 

 arrives, open it at once and thoroughly wet the contents. If 

 planting is to be delayed more than forty-eight hours, take out 

 the plants and heel them in in a convenient place to stay until 

 wanted. 



Fig. 4. Heeling in Young Trees. A trench properly made and two layers of 

 deciduous trees in place; the first is covered in; the second ready to be 

 covered. Evergreen trees should have none of the foliage covered. 



Heeling In. This simply means putting a tree in the ground 

 temporarily so that its roots shall not become dry before it can 

 be regularly planted. With a number of trees to heel in, dig a 

 trench in moist soil. Let the front of the trench be on a 45 

 slope and somewhat deeper than the length of the tree roots. 

 Then loosen the tree bundles and spread the trees along the 

 sloping wall in a single row and an inch or two apart. Cover the 

 roots and lower stems with earth taken from the trench and tamp 

 it down firmly so that every root is embedded. Successive layers 

 of trees may be put one on another, with two or three inches of 

 earth between, if the quantity is too great for a single row. If 

 dry weather comes, wet the earth freely. Trees of any kind 

 can be kept in this way several weeks without injury. 



