308 PLANTING. 



please in order to favour the rapid downward and lateral extension 

 of the roots, and to preserve the transplants from surrounding- 

 stronger vegetation ; or only the soil at the bottom of the pits may 

 be loosened after the pits have been excavated. In thus working 

 up the soil, stones and other hurtful elements may be removed and 

 fresh soil of good quality added. 



In the case of plants lifted up with a conical or semicircular 

 transplanter (Figs. 49 and 50), the pit should, as already recom- 

 mended in connection with nursery lines (p. 202), be made with a 

 similar implement of the same shape and size. 



PUTTING DOWN THE PLANTS. "When using the conical trans- 

 planter, the necessary contact between the ball of earth and the 

 surrounding soil should be effected, according to the stiffness of the 

 latter, by beating with a light wooden mallet or by pressing with 

 the foot. Unless the contact is thoroughly secured, the ball of 

 earth must in the ensuing dry weather contract, the sides of the 

 pit at the same time receding, thus exposing and even breaking the 

 newly formed rootlets. 



If the pits have been made with any other implement, they will 

 usually be considerably wider than the ball of earth. The interval 

 should be filled up with good finely broken soil well rammed in, 

 and the entire ling of new soil should be covered with turf, stones, 

 &c., in order to protect it from drought and thus prevent it from 

 shrinking and opening out along the lines of junction. 



If the soil has been dug up previously to the excavation of the 

 pits, contact with the ball of earth is easily effected and more 

 securely maintained. If the soil has not been previously dug up, 

 but that at the bottom of the pits has been loosened, it is necessary, 

 before putting in the plants, to press down this loosened soil ; other- 

 wise it will settle, allowing the ball of earth to subside with it. 



In dry soils the pits should be deep enough to allow of a hol- 

 low being formed round each plant to catch and retain rain water 

 and also to facilitate watering. 



VALUE AND EMPLOYMENT OF THE METHOD. In this method 

 success depends, first of all, on the proportion of the original mass 

 of root fibres and hairs left in the ball of earth. Now the larger 

 the plants, the smaller must this proportion be, unless indeed the 

 ball of earth was so large as to render the cost of transport, if not 

 also of extraction and putting out, entirely prohibitory. Hence 

 the method is rarely suited, as regards forest purposes at least, for 

 any but small plants and the lowest category of those of middle 

 &ize. 



