ESTABLISHING FORESTS BY PLANTING 



405 



cally into the soil to the full depth of the blade and turned round 

 until the ball is loosened at the base. As the spade is removed, 

 the tree with the attached ball is lifted from the ground. By 

 placing the right hand on the base of the ball, it is forced upward 

 and out of the spade. When plants are lifted with this tool, the 

 planting hole is usually made with the same 

 implement. The ball fits the hole if the spade 

 used in lifting is the same size as that used 

 in planting. On stiff, heavy soils the ball 

 shrinks more or less during dry weather caus- 

 ing an opening between it and the planting 

 hole. On such soils, therefore, this method of 

 planting is not satisfactory. 



The semi-conical spade was devised in 

 Europe to facilitate the easy lifting and plant- 

 ing of balled stock (Fig. 113). It is recom- 

 mended for planting beech and other shallow- 

 rooted species. It is thrust into the ground 

 at the requisite distance from the tree to be 

 lifted and at the proper angle and turned 

 around on its axis until the cone-shaped ball 

 is entirely detached. The planting hole is 

 made with the same or a similar spade and 

 when properly executed is of the exact size to 

 fit the lifted plant. 1 



Neither of the above spades is adapted for 

 use on stiff clay and loose sand. They will not 

 work in soils filled with stones or roots, but 

 permit of rapid and effective work when the soil is uniform in 

 texture and of suitable consistency. 



Roth 2 has recently devised a tool for rapidly lifting small balled 

 plants and for making the holes in which they are set. The tool 

 is placed over the plant to be lifted and pressed into the soil. 

 Two semi-circular cutting blades, when forced downward, cut out 

 a cylindrical column of soil with the plant in the center. By 

 exerting pressure on a lever the blades are pressed together at the 



1 Mayr, Heinrich: Waldbau auf naturgesetzlicher Grundlage. S. 303. 

 Berlin, 1909. 



2 Roth, Julius: Neue forstliche Gerate. (Forstw Centralblatt, S. 358- 

 366. 1915.) 



FIG. 113. The semi- 

 conical spade. 



