I '.to AirriFlCIAI, FOiniATlON OF WOODS. 



12. I'njiarKtioii of tlir Snil. 



Only ill very rare cases does the soil require complete 

 workiiif,' before planting, and in such cases it is done by one 

 of the methods indicated for direct sowing. As a general rule 

 planting requires only working at the spots where the plants 

 are inserted into the ground, or none at all. In sylvicultural 

 operations conducted on a large scale the worked area of a 

 planting spot ranges upwards from a few square inches, and 

 rarely exceeds 2 or 3 square feet. The actual method of 

 working the soil depends on the methods of planting ; hence 

 it will be described when dealing with the latter. 



B. Raising Plants. 



Plants can be procured either by purchase or home produc- 

 tion ; in the latter case they can be taken from existing woods, 

 or raised in temporary or permanent nurseries. Although in 

 the majority of cases plants are purchased or produced in 

 home nurseries, the third method may in certain cases be 

 admissible, hence the subject will be divided as follows : — 



(1.) Purchase of plants. 



(2.) Plants taken from existing woods. 



(3.) liaising plants in nurseries. 



1. Purchase of Pl<()its. 



In former times the necessary plants were, as a general rule, 

 grown at home, and this is still the case in many countries. 

 In Great Britain, and latterly also on the Continent, a highly 

 developed industry of raising plants for sale has been estab- 

 lished, and in the former country by far the majority of plants 

 are now-a-days purchased from nurserymen. This system is 

 very convenient, since the planting operations are not inter- 

 fered with by want of tlie necessary planting material. Pail- 

 way communication, also, is now so extended and rapid that 

 most imi)ortHnt s[)ecies of forest plants can be sent to any 



