Formation of Plantations 45 



The Planting -iron has been found of great value for 

 inserting small forest trees in rocky ground, where it would 

 be almost impossible to do so in any other way. It is 17 in. 

 long, weighs 3 Ibs., and can be conveniently used with one 

 hand. 



Holding the " iron " slackly, the planter strikes it into 

 the ground with a force sufficient to drive the sharp, heart- 

 pointed blade in about 3 in. or 4 in. By pressing it down 

 and towards the planter, with a slight twist to the right, 

 the left corner of the turf is opened up, the plant being care- 

 fully inserted with all the roots beneath the ground. The 

 iron is then withdrawn, and the loosened turf made firm 

 by tramping. 



Only a small plant should be inserted with the planting- 

 iron, and great care taken to insure the soil and turf being 

 firmly pressed around the stem of the young tree. 



Planting Trees too deep. Fully 50 per cent, of the 

 deaths amongst newly -plan ted trees may be directly attri- 

 buted to the pernicious practice of too deep planting. 

 Cases come before us frequently where, owing to burying 

 the roots of the trees and shrubs at too great a depth in the 

 soil, they have either died out or gradually become unhealthy 

 owing to strangulation and want of air. It is a mistaken 

 idea that by placing the roots at an excessive depth in the 

 soil the young tree will be better enabled to withstand wind, 

 and so remain in an erect position. Most workmen quite 

 ignore the original mark on the tree stem as to the depth 

 it stood whilst in the nursery, and go to an opposite extreme 

 by covering up both root and stem to an unnecessary depth. 

 Large trees suffer quite as much from being planted too 

 deep as those of smaller growth. Quite recently we were 

 asked to look at a large number of lime trees about 16 ft. 

 in height that had been planted for several years without a 

 sign of upward growth. The reason for this was not hard 

 to discover, for on unearthing one of the trees it was found 

 that the roots were covered with fully 2 ft. in depth of 

 soil. The trees in question had never budged an inch, and 

 were from year to year gradually on the decline owing to 

 the ruinous practice of too deep planting. No better guide 



