DIBBLING. ;67 



it is only fair to say that many of the old Larch plantations 

 on hillsides grew well and were profitable. But root-deformity 

 is very prevalent among notched plantations; and this must 

 lead to physiological disturbance, making the young plants less 

 hardy against frost, and increasing danger from insects .and 

 fungi. That fungus disease is often seen in young notched 

 Conifer plantations is probably partly due to bark-wounds made 

 by the planter when treading the sods to firm the young plant. 

 If sods be turned and notched through, this checks the growth 

 of weeds for the next two years (practised at Inverary about 

 fifty years ago). 



Vertical notching, whether done with a flat-faced dibble, or 

 with a ditching-spade or any other similar tool, is carried out 

 upon similar lines. The flat-faced 

 dibble (Fig. 10) is simply a bit of 

 wood with a short curved handle 

 and an iron-shod tip, about .3 to 

 4 in. broad at the top, arid taper- 

 ing to a point. The first insertion 

 (a) into the soil is vertical, into 

 which the plant is inserted deeply, 

 shaken lightly, and then pulled 

 up to its proper position, to pre- Thc 

 vent the roots getting bent; the 

 next, about 2 in. away from the .first, is slanting, (b\ and 

 pressed forward from b to a to fix the plant already brought 

 into place. A small third insertion (c) is made and pressed for- 

 ward to close up the slit at b. The whole work can be easily 

 done by one man, woman, or child. An extremely cheap 

 method, it has the great advantage over notching of ensuring 

 the roots having a natural and more or less vertical position. 

 But even in light soil the roots are pancaked, arid have to 

 overcome a good deal of physiological disturbance before the 

 plant establishes itself .and regains a normal root-system. 



