PLANTING. 61 



to another creates a physiological disturbance, the power of 

 overcoming which varies in different kinds of trees. Healthy 

 plants may with care be transplanted at any time of the year ; 

 but physiological disturbance in the organism is reduced to its 

 minimum if the removal take place either just after active 

 vegetation has ceased in autumn, or just before it recommences 

 in spring. But as root-growth goes on to a slight extent in 

 broad-leaved plants during the winter period of rest, autumn 

 planting is (other things being equal) best for broad-leaved 

 kinds, and spring planting for the evergreen Conifers to save 

 them from being shaken by wind in winter. Wherever the 

 supply of suitable labour is limited, however, planting work 

 over any extensive area practically goes on right through from 

 autumn till spring whenever the weather is open and favourable. 

 In spring -planting it is best to plant the warmer exposures 

 before the colder hollows and northern aspects, and to plant 

 first of all the kinds which flush their foliage earliest (Birch, 

 Elm, Chestnut, Larch), then to set out the other deciduous 

 trees, and to plant the evergreen Conifers last of all, as they 

 mostly stand transplanting well even after their new foliage 

 begins to flush (not Austrian Pine, however, which generally 

 transplants badly, though sometimes best in July if that be a 

 wet month). Douglas Fir seems to do best when planted late 

 in April. If possible, planting should be done in mild open 

 weather, and not during heavy rain or frost ; and great atten- 

 tion should be paid to keeping the plants well protected, in a 

 planter's tray filled with wet moss and having two flannel flaps 

 covering the top, to prevent drying up of the rootlets and 

 root-hairs. 



The Best Distance in Planting. The poorer the land,, the 

 closer should the plants be set; and the better the land, the 

 sooner the plantations will establish themselves and grow up 

 to form a thicket from which thinnings may be profitable. But 

 the best distance for planting, or the number of plants needed 



