SOWING AND PLANTING IN THE FOREST 67 



Methods of planting. There are two common methods of 

 planting, pit and notch planting, while occasionally special 

 tools are used which form long narrow holes, this method 

 being called peg-planting. In pit planting^ holes, which vary 

 in size according to the size of plants used, are dug out with 

 a spade; they are usually about ten inches deep and of about 

 the same width for three or four year old plants. The soil 

 taken out should be placed at the side of the hole in such 

 a way that the poor soil is kept separate from the good. 

 The bottom of the hole should be well loosened and the plant 

 is then held in the middle of the hole by a boy, who arranges 

 the roots in as natural a position as possible. The planter 

 puts the finest and best earth round the roots, gently firming 

 it clown ; then the rest of the hole is filled up to the level of 

 the surrounding surface with the remaining earth, and finally 

 the whole should be well trodden down. Where boys cannot 

 be got a man working alone can do the work very efficiently 

 after a little practice. In this case the man replaces about 

 half the soil into the hole and then, holding the plant in his 

 left hand, he makes a notch into the loose soil wUh the spade 

 in his right hand and under his arm ; he then puts in the 

 plant, draws a little earth round it, and treads gently on it to 

 steady the plant and fills in the hole as before. Holes are 

 usually dug at the time of planting and are often made by 

 a separate gang of men who do the work on contract. 



When the soil is very stiff, it is sometimes preferable to dig 

 the holes in autumn to allow the earth to be pulverized by 

 frost during winter, and the planting is then done in spring. 

 Wherever possible, however, this should be avoided, as the 

 holes often get filled up with water or dead leaves and have 

 again to be cleared when planting. 



Pit-planting is good but expensive. The cost can be largely 

 reduced by using a mattock instead of a spade. This mattock- 

 planting is specially good in stony soil. It has many of the 

 advantages of pit-planting with the convenience of notch- 

 planting. 



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