122 PLANTING 



and then raised to the correct level. The boy inserting the 

 plants should be provided with a long wooden spatula, similar 

 to that used by navvies for cleaning their spades, only much 

 longer. With this, the roots can be nicely pushed down 

 without doing them any injury. 



It is most important never to adopt any kind of notching 

 on stiff clay soils. For the sides of the notch or slit will dry 

 with a hard-glazed surface, through which the young roots 

 cannot easily penetrate. 



5. Dibbling. 



This is a convenient and cheap method of planting 

 seedlings on light soil. A one-handed iron dibble, or 

 planting " peg," is used. A man inserts it into the ground, 

 withdraws it, and then, with the other hand, places the tree in 

 position. Then he inserts the dibble a little distance off, and 

 closes the opening by pressing the soil back. In as much as 

 the dibble is inserted with only one hand, it could not be 

 used on any but very light porous soils. 



The cost will be about 43. per 1000. 



As to the Choice of Methods. 



This has been to some extent already indicated. 



A great deal will depend upon the nature of the land. 



Where possible, dibbling should be adopted, as it is the 

 cheapest method. But where it is required to plant larger 

 plants, such as 3-year-old plants, or, in many cases, 4-year-old 

 plants, the planting spike can usually be recommended 

 over any other method. It is cheap, and the young plants 

 have fine soil, in which to start their growth, put into the holes. 

 Thus they meet with far better conditions than if they be 

 notched. In cases where there is no surface soil that can be 

 scraped into the holes, notching may be a little cheaper ; but 

 soil can easily be provided by turning over a furrow every 

 2 feet 6 inches or 3 feet, according to the distance apart at 

 which the planting is to be done ; and, then, making the holes 

 with the spike along the furrow. 



It may be argued that notching is less objectionable on 



