44 Practical Forestry 



leaves, or soil heaped around the roots of the outer or 

 exposed specimens in the lot. In any case, the roots must 

 never be allowed to become dry and parched, or be sub- 

 jected to frosty winds, as these act most perniciously, and 

 soon destroy the tender fibres and render them almost use- 

 less for the purpose intended. 



In planting, spread the roots to their full extent in the 

 pits, avoiding all cramping and bending, placing the largest 

 to the most exposed side, and cover with earth, the finest 

 soil being placed next the roots, and the rougher and grassy 

 on the top. Placing the turf in the bottom of the pit, cut- 

 ting it well up with the spade, putting a little earth on the 

 top of this, and then planting the trees, has its advantages, 

 the rotting turf acting as manure by the time the roots have 

 got down to it. 



Slit or Notch Planting. This is done by simply cut- 

 ting the sod or surface by two strokes of the spade, and to 

 the depth of about 5 in. : thus L or T. With the first 

 stroke the spade is inserted in the ground in an almost 

 perpendicular manner ; it is then withdrawn and inserted 

 at right angles to the first notch and at the end of it, and 

 by pressing down the handle of the spade the turf is opened 

 up, the plant being inserted from the blade of the spade 

 towards the further end ; the spade is then carefully with- 

 drawn and the turf trampled so as to cause the notches 

 to close completely. This latter should be strictly attended 

 to, as should the notch be left partially open, the plant will 

 suffer from the admission of an undue quantity of air. The 

 operation requires two persons a man to open the notch, 

 and a boy to insert the plant. It is chiefly employed in 

 bare and hilly ground, and large tracts of ground in Scot- 

 land have been very successfully operated upon in this way. 

 With the notch system there are advantages and disadvan- 

 tages. In the first instance, we have reduced cost, expedi- 

 tion, and firm insertion ; whilst in the second small plants 

 only can be used, the soil remains unbroken, and the root 

 system presents an unnatural position. 



The plants used with the notch system should not exceed 

 9 in. in height. 



