Retrospective Criticism. 523 



" 724. Planting with the dibber we have already (392.) mentioned as suitable 

 for seedlings and very small plants. The soil ought to have been previously 

 dug, or stirred by some other means, so that the fibres of the young plant may 

 strike readily into it. In performing the operation, a hole is made with the 

 dibber with one hand, then the root of the plant is inserted to the proper depth, 

 and held there by the leaves or stem, with the other hand, while, by a second 

 movement, the dibber is inserted by the side of the hole in such a manner as 

 to press in one of its sides to the root of the plant, taking care that the pres- 

 sure on the roots shall be greatest at its lowest extremity, and that it should 

 be such as to hold the plant so fast that, when slightly pulled by one of its 

 leaves, it does not come up." 



In order to make sure that the lowest extremity, or root, of the plant should 

 be most pressed, as you very judiciously request, (technically, it is called in the 

 nurseries fastened,) it is necessary that the point of the dibber should be so 

 introduced into the ground, as that it will be nearer the plant at the root than 

 at the surface, the line of its direction inclining at a slight angle towards the 

 plant. When the line of direction of the dibber points from the plant, they 

 are fastened only at the surface, and the roots are not at all fixed in the soil. 

 This is a very material matter to attend to, where much dibbing is practised. 

 It is easier for the operators to push the dibber from the plant, and they re- 

 quire to be watched. The plants dibbed in the wrong way may be easily 

 detected by giving them a slight pull, when they will be found to draw up 

 easily, while those properly fastened at the roots retain their hold. If dry 

 weather succeed the operation, almost all of those fastened at the surface only 

 will die. Trees planted with the dibber are best for planting out again, as the 

 roots are found spread out equally on both sides, while those trench-planted 

 with the spade are found to have the roots all on one side, from the manner 

 they are laid in, and the ground being beat back with the spade in the act of 

 cutting the trench ; they are generally also bent in the root, when the trench 

 is sloped to make the plants lie, which facilitates the work but hurts the plant. 



" 735. Watering, mulching, and staking newly planted plants?'' In watering 

 box edgings, &c, newly planted in dry weather, it is of great moment when the 

 earth is trod firmly to the roots, and before levelling on the remainder of the 

 earth, to saturate the soil completely, all round the roots, with water, with an 

 unsparing hand, and then finish by spreading the dry soil above. When water 

 is poured on the surface of the soil in dry weather, the deluge of water runs 

 the surface of the soil into a paste, which again hardens by the sun into a 

 cake, obstructing thus the free entrance of the atmosphere into the soil, 

 without which no plant will thrive. When straw or moss, or any of the other 

 articles you mention, is spread on the surface it obviates this fault. Where this 

 cannot be done, it is better to open holes in the soil, or pare up a portion of 

 the surface, saturating the soil below, and then adding the dry soil when the 

 moisture begins to subside. One such watering will be better than ten surface 

 waterings, which often do more harm than good. Where none of these plans 

 can be adopted, the direct beams of the sun should be kept from the surface, 

 by a covering open at the ends for shade. 



" 740. The disadvantages of growing plants hi pots are : the constant at- 

 tendance requisite to preserve the soil in a uniform state of moisture and 

 temperature, and to remove the plant from one pot to another when additional 

 space for the roots becomes requisite, or when the soil contained in the pot 

 becomes impoverished." 



Such bare-rooted plants as white-broom, double-flowering whins, some 

 pines and oaks, &c, which are very difficult to transplant and remove, are 

 found to succeed better by being nursed in pots; but the roots have ac- 

 quired such a tendency of matting together, and twining round one another, 

 that it is a long time after planting before they shoot away freely again into 

 the soil ; and till this is done the growth will not be vigorous. The fibres 

 may be parted again, but the roots have got a tendency to matting they do 

 not recover for some time ; and parting the ball destroys in some measure 



