Planting 



23 



Pit planting is the method adopted for planting in those soils 

 where "jungle" is of luxuriant growth and where large plants are 

 necessary. 



Fig. 5. 



Jhe right and wrong way to insert a transplant. On the right, the roots are on 



one side and the stem is bent. They should be planted as shown on the left. 



A hole is dug of a size suitable to the roots. The material 

 removed is set aside in two portions — the top part and the bottom 

 part. The plant is then held in such a manner that the roots assume 

 a natural position ; ' the soil taken from the top is filled in round the 

 roots, the remaining soil taken from the bottom is placed on top. 

 The whole is then made firm with the foot. Before the pit is 

 completely filled, and before the soil is made firm, it is advisable to 

 raise the plant slightly ; this gives the roots a natural position and a 

 more intimate contact with the soil. It is important to note that the 

 plant is at the same depth as it was when growing in the nursery 

 lines. 



In clay soils, it is advisable to dig the pits in autumn, in order 

 that the soil forming the sides of the pit, and also the soil removed in 

 digging it, may be exposed to the influence of frost, etc. This 

 "weathers" the soil and renders it more friable, so that the plant 

 food is more readily available. But it cannot be done in localities 

 where water is likely to stand in the holes. 



' It has been suggested recently that it is even more advantageous to plant fruit 

 trees " anyhow," by placing their roots in the hole in any position, covering with 

 soil and tramping down. To the author, the method seems to be quite unreasonable, 

 and observations show that it is conducive to the worst results — in forest trees. 



