132 PRACTICAL FORESTRY. 



probably pit planting will be preferable to slit planting ; but 

 when the soil is shallow and the subsoil cold, probably the 

 notch or slit system will answer better. The latter possesses, 

 too, the element of cheapness. Heavy bushes and long 

 bracken fern must of course be cut entirely or sufficiently 

 for planting. If long fern be not cut, and kept cut for a few 

 years, it will fall with rain and snow and smother the young 

 plants, and also cause damping off, which is a danger of 

 some magnitude. 



(3.) Land on Hill Slopes and Mountain Ranges. 



The same rules will apply as to herbage; but slit planting 

 on exposed sites is usually preferable to pit planting. The 

 trees are small and less exposed to wind. Nevertheless, 

 if the soil and subsoil be varied there will seldom be 

 uniformity over a large area each system may be adopted 

 according to local conditions. Among rocks, where the 

 soil and moisture are just sufficient, trees will grow well, and 

 often better than on level land ; but the planting must be of 

 a nature to suit the special conditions, and no uniform system 

 should be adhered to. On the smooth surface of a hillside, 

 due to slip or slide of decomposed rock, trees will grow if 

 the soil be not too crude nor void of organic matter; but it 

 will tend to success if the plain surface be terraced so as to 

 receive the trees. If this be not done the slide is likely to 

 continue, and smother the trees when small. There are, 

 however, exceptions under which no planting can bu recom- 

 mended, and among these will be a slide of chalk. The 

 surface, too, can never be planted with prospect of success 

 at least from a commercial point of view. 



(4.) Bog and Fcatland. 



These soils when drained will grow very useful timber, and 

 timber of fine quality. The preparation required will be 



