STOCKING THE GROUND 119 



filled up with transplants as nurses, Scots Pine, Larch 

 or Spruce being used. 



When turf has been ploughed off in strips, small 

 patches can be prepared on the bare soil by means of 

 the spiral spade (Fig. 10), and seed sown upon them. 



Planting In Prepared Pits. 



When sowing is impossible, the ground must be 

 stocked by planting, of which there are three methods, 

 viz., pitting, notching, and dibbling. The making of 

 pits having been explained under " Preparation of Soil," 

 Chapter IV., it remains to show the way to plant the 

 trees. The soil left in the bottom of the pits must be 

 made into a mound in the centre of the pit, sufficiently 

 high to prevent the plants being inserted too deeply 

 viz., not more than J inch deeper than they stood in 

 the nursery lines. This J inch allows for a slight sub- 

 sidence of the soil. If the plants have naked roots, these 

 must be placed in a natural position round the mound, 

 and a small quantity of the best or top soil, which was 

 laid aside from the bottom soil, placed over them. The 

 plants should then be lightly shaken up and down to 

 encourage the soil to get between the roots. More earth 

 may then be added and the plants again shaken. This 

 should be continued until the pit is nearly full. If there 

 is a boy helping the man to plant, he should continually 

 move the plant up and down while the man fills in the soil. 

 If the soil is shaken well amongst the roots, the plant 

 will be almost as firm as if it had been trodden, and the 

 danger of lifting by frost is considerably diminished. 



