328 SIR HENRY STEUART'S METHOD 



the roots, given, on account of the very great import- 

 ance of this part of the process, in his own words, 

 without ahridgement. He remarks farther, " It can- 

 not have escaped the discerning reader, that, con- 

 trary to the general practice, no decalcation or con- 

 solidating of the earth has, as yet, been directed, ex- 

 cept in the execution of the retaining bank round 

 the nucleus of the root ; and yet the entire order- 

 ing of the roots and fibres is supposed to be finished. 

 But I have found, by long experience, that an an- 

 xiety for immediate consolidation, which most plant- 

 ers possess, is not favourable to the fibrous roots of 

 woody plants, small or great. That equability of 

 pressure of the soil, which gradual subsidence 

 alone can give, is not to be obtained by any artifi- 

 cial means yet known, and, least of all, by treading 

 and pounding by the feet of workmen." 



After the roots are treated as above, the rest of 

 the earth must be filled into the pit, so that, at the 

 stem, it may be from twelve to fourteen inches deep. 

 If the planting takes place between November and 

 February, a slight treading over the whole by the 

 workmen is amply sufficient to promote gradual con- 

 solidation. If it be between the end of February 

 and May, water should be poured on with pails from 

 the height of five or six feet, as soon as the cover- 



