CHAPTER III. 



PLANTING. 



THE first step preparatory to planting is the 

 formation of nurseries, for the proper irrigation 

 of which some provision is generally necessary. 



The soil should be thoroughly well worked, and 

 divided into small beds : long and narrow ones 

 are the most convenient. These beds should be 

 raised, and the water allowed to flow in the channels 

 between them, just rising over their surface if 

 they are too wide for the water to find its way 

 through them by capillary attraction. If the 

 soil is dry at the commencement of operations, 

 it should be well irrigated before a spade is put 

 into it : dry soil can never be properly worked. 



Where irrigation is not available, and the rain- 

 fall scanty, it may be desirable to sow rather in 

 sunk than in raised beds, to economise all the 

 moisture ; but measures should be taken to drain 

 such beds in the event of a heavy rainfall. 



The best manure for nursery beds is leaf-mould, 

 but many authorities deprecate its employment, 

 especially for plants that have afterwards to be 



