IX. 
ON PLANTING IN A GRASSY VEGETATION. 
LAND overspread with a grassy sward, whatever be the 
quality of the soil, is more hostile to the growth of young 
plants than that overspread with a cover of heath. This 
arises from the roots of a grassy vegetation depriving the 
plants of nourishment, and pressing more unfavourably on 
them than when associated with heath. In such places 
notched plants have a very poor chance of success, unless the 
ground is previously prepared; therefore, in the absence of 
trenching or pitting, each spot should be prepared for the 
plant by having a turf, or surface sward, about a foot square 
removed. If the soil is hard, it should be opened up by 
digging over a spadeful on each spot laid bare, or it may be 
loosened by a tramp pick. This preparation of the ground 
should take place in the autumn. If the surface herbage is 
not very close and matted, the ground may be at once pre- 
pared by digging over a spadeful where each plant is required, 
burying the surface ; but if the sward is bulky, or the soil dry 
and sandy, such as will not readily decompose the surface 
vegetation, a turf should be pared off and laid aside, divided 
and placed on the top, with the grassy side downwards, after 
the plants are inserted. When ground is of good quality and 
not hard, the removal of the grassy surface is sufficient pre- 
paration. If the soil is dry, the planting may be performed 
early in winter; if strong or moist, the prepared ground 
should be exposed to the frosts of winter, and planted in 
spring, by notching with the common spade. 
A similar preparation is required where the surface soil is 
composed of pure peat too deep for the plants to reach the 
