132 WOOD AND GAEDEN 



root just below the bare strip had been doubled undt 

 the stem, and had therefore been unable to do its share 

 of the work. Nothing could have pointed out more 

 clearly the defect in the planting. 



There are cases where ground cannot be prepared 

 as one would wish, and where one has to get over the 

 difficulty the best way one can. Such a case occurred 

 when I had to plant some Yews and Savins right under 

 a large Birch-tree. The Birch is one of several large 

 ones that nearly surround the lawn. This one stands 

 just within the end of a large shrub-clump, near the 

 place of meeting of some paths with the grass and with 

 some planting ; here some further planting was wanted 

 of dark-leaved evergreens. There is no tree more 

 ground-robbing than a Birch, and under the tree in 

 question the ground was dust-dry, extremely hard, and 

 nothing but the poorest sand. Looking at the foot of 

 a large tree one can always see which way the main 

 roots go, and the only way to get down any depth is 

 to go between these and not many feet away from the 

 trunk. Farther away the roots spread out and would 

 receive more injury. So the ground was got up the 

 best way we could, and the Yews and Savins planted. 

 Now, after some six years, they are healthy and dark- 

 coloured, and have made good growth. But in such a 

 place one cannot expect the original preparation of the 

 ground, such as it was, to go for much. The year after 

 planting they had some strong, lasting manure just 

 pricked in over the roots — stuff from the shoeing-forge. 



