WORK SUITABLE TO WOMEN 243 



the holes in which the plants are to go, often heavy, 

 in stiff or stony soil, is man's work, and can be done by 

 a squad of men. But experienced women or girls 

 could plant the trees in the holes thus prepared at 

 least as well as men or lads, and perhaps would be apt 

 to be less careless than the average man. For if the 

 young tree is to grow and thrive, it requires to be put 

 into its new position with some degree of care. In- 

 attention to these requirements is responsible for at 

 least 50 per cent, of the deaths which occur within the 

 first year of the life of a young planted wood. Then, 

 as has been already mentioned, there is a considerable 

 amount of work in connection with the protection of 

 the new-formed wood. 



During the first year a dense growth of coarse grass, 

 weeds or bracken, etc., may grow up on the area, 

 especially on the portion immediately surrounding the 

 plant, where the soil has been newly turned over. This 

 will require cutting back during the summer, and the 

 operation may have to be repeated in the following 

 year. Broom, whins, etc., may require like treatment, 

 as also young birch, which come into young woods by 

 means of blown seed, and thrive with amazing per- 

 sistency in this country, and require cutting back. 

 Again, the young- plants may become diseased early in 

 life. This is particularly the case with young larch, 

 which get cankered. Searching for such diseased trees 

 and cutting them out is light work, and could be easily 

 done by women. 



Young plantations of conifers are liable to attack 

 by insect pests. One insect, a weevil (HyloUus), is a 

 particularly bad one in many parts of Europe, and in 



