SOWING AND PLANTING 183 



turf or with straw ; twigs are dangerous, as likely to 

 attract insects, and as increasing danger from fire. 



In comparing planting of transplants with balls of 

 earth to that of transplants with naked roots, it may be 

 said that the former method offers much greater chance 

 of success, as not only is the shock to the plant smaller, 

 but a smaller number of root -hairs get torn in the 

 lifting, and those which remain are already established 

 in the soil and can continue their functions when they 

 are put into the field. In lifting transplants with 

 naked roots, the shock is greater, a larger number of 

 rootlets are injured, not only in lifting but probably 

 in transit and in replanting, and those which remain 

 have to settle themselves in their new surroundings, 

 which may include a soil of a totally different character 

 from that of the nursery. 



On the other hand, the item of cost of transport is 

 enormously reduced when no balls of earth have to be 

 carried, and this is such an important item that it 

 may fix the method of planting. Where rainfall is 

 fairly distributed after the time of planting, it will be 

 generally possible to plant seedlings without balls of 

 earth, and this method of planting is often used for 

 filling blanks in a forest. 



Whatever system of planting is adopted, it is 

 desirable that the plantation be made a success from 

 the very outset. A plantation with a large number of 

 failures is more difficult to fill and to make a success 

 than one which is properly dealt with from the beginning. 

 The soil often deteriorates on the surface after being 

 exposed, especially in the Tropics, where torrential rains 

 wash the top layers of the exposed soil away. It is 

 therefore desirable to get this soil sheltered by the 

 crowns of the young plants as early as possible, and 

 consequently, the sooner do these plants make a start, 

 the earlier will this object be accomplished. 



The distances to be left between the plants will 

 depend not only on the size of transplants, their rate 

 of growth, and on the soil and locality, but also on the 



