PLANTING. 25 



Almost infinitely various are the methods 

 adopted in the final planting-out; but the prin- 

 cipal points for consideration are, first, whether 

 the soil is to be loosened throughout, or only 

 in strips or spots ; secondly, whether the mois- 

 ture is scant or superfluous. 



If it is determined to work the ground over 

 the whole surface, it should receive two or three 

 ploughings with a native plough, be cleaned of 

 weeds, and then turned over with the hoe to a 

 depth of eight or ten inches. 



If the ground is to be worked in strips only, 

 it is better to plough over the whole surface, and 

 then with the hoe dig up the strips intended to 

 be planted. A convenient width for these strips 

 is 5 to 8 ft., with interspaces of similar width ; the 

 guiding principle being, to have the strips wide 

 enough to carry a double row of plants, and the 

 interspaces not so wide as to leave room for 

 marketable poles to be grown between the strips. 

 Such wide strips not only involve waste of land, but 

 tend to the too early development of lateral branches. 



When the soil is not easily worked, or where, 

 from the absence of water, it is impossible to get 

 it ploughed before the planting season, trenches 

 a foot deep may be dug at 10 to 15 ft. apart for 

 quick-growing trees, and at 5 to 8 ft. for such trees 

 as grow slowly at first. 



