210 



ARTIFICIAL FORMATION OF WOODS. 



1. PJantimi iritli Halls of Earth. 



Pnparaiiiin of ilic I'laiitiioi lloh'. — This depends on the 

 size of tlie ball. Small and middle sized plants lifted by the 

 circular or semi-conical spade respectively (page 183), are 

 placed into holes made with the same instruments ; such 

 lioles are wider than the breadth of the balls by the thickness 

 of the iron, so that the plants can be easily inserted. 



For plants with large balls the pits must be considerably 



larger than the balls ; they 

 are made with the hoe or 

 ordinary spade. 



Putting in the Plant.— The 

 top of the ball should be on 

 a level with the surface of 

 the soil, except in dry locali- 

 ties, when it may be some- 

 what lower, so as to collect 

 an extra supply of water near 

 the plant. The interval be- 

 tween the ball and the walls 

 of the pit must be carefully 

 filled up, either with earth, 

 compost, turf ashes, or by 

 pressing the soil down until 

 the interval completely disappears. On dry soil it is desir- 

 able to place two pieces of turf over the ball and the adjoining 

 soil, so as to reduce evaporation and shrinking. 



Value of Method. — This depends in the first place on the 

 extent to which the root system is contained in the ball. If, 

 during the act of lifting the ball, considerable quantities of the 

 finer roots have been severed (Fig. 57), the results may be 

 disappointing. Hence young ball plants do better, compara- 

 tively speaking, than older and larger plants. 



Secondly, a thorough touch between the Imll and the walls 

 of the i)it is essential to success ; it follows that ball plantings 



Bad. 



Good. 



