CULTIVATION. 



189 



The stripped poles are then cleansed from the dirt 

 sticking to the butt end, and are stacked in the garden 

 through the winter, housing being seldom practised. The 

 stacks contain 100 to 200 poles, arranged upright in pyramid 

 or conical form, or laid horizontally on wooden staddles. 

 In the former case three or four poles are tied together at 



Pig. 45. — Pole-puller. 



the top, and, after being spread out at the bottom (Fig. 

 46), the points are forced into the ground, thus forming a 

 foundation against which the remaining poles of the stack 

 are piled. It is evident that in this mode of storing the 

 butts of the poles may easily suffer damage from contact 

 with the wet ground ; nevertheless the plan is preferable 



