218 



Airni-UIAL roKMATiON OF WOODS. 



Fig. 70 {a, b). It is perfectly straight, willi a sharp ^xjiiil 

 which easily penetrates into tlie soil. In using this spade 

 the notch generally has the shape shown in Fig. 70 (c) 

 (exaggerated). The plant, after insertion into the notch, is 

 securely fixed in the ground as indicated in the case of 

 planting with the peg (Fig. Go). This spade is no douht the 

 hest tool for notching which has heen constructed. 



On stiff soil the holes for seedling plants may be made with 

 a hollow spade, like Fig. 71. It is not necessary to remove 

 the ball of earth from the spade by hand ; by inserting the 

 spade for the purpose of making a second hole, the ball of 

 earth taken from the previous hole is ejected at the top, and 

 can be used to fill up the hole afterwards. The plant is 

 inserted as before, and the hole is filled up and the soil 

 pressed down firmly by means of a peg and the feet. 



^ d^__^ ^^^_j| 



^ 



V -' /::=- 



Fiir. 72. 



In Great Britain notching is done in a somewhat different 

 way, generally with the ordinary spade, so as to i)roduce a 

 T-shaped or a triangular notch, mostly the former. The 

 spade is inserted into the ground (Fig. 72, a), and withdrawn ; 

 then it is a second time inserted at light angles to the first 

 insertion and at one end of it (Fig. 72, h) ; next the handle is 

 bent backwards, thus raising and opening out the edges of the 

 first notch (Fig. 7*2, r) ; then the plant is slipped in fiom the 



