342 



NOTICES OF AUTHORS. 



ed in every instance in which the plants exceed two 

 years old. 



" The expense of planting was much reduced by 

 the introduction, about a century ago, of the notch- 

 ing system. Of this there are two varieties, the 

 oldest of which may be described as follows : — One 

 person makes a notch in the ground, or rather two 

 notches crossing each other, with a common spade, 

 raising the sod by bending down the handle of the 

 instrument, till the notch become vnde enough to 

 receive the roots of the plant. An assistant, ^^ith 

 a bundle of trees, slips the root of one into the aper- 

 tui'e thus made for its reception. The spade is then 

 withdrawn, and the closing of the sod on the root is 

 assisted by a smart blow of the heel of the planter. 

 In this w^ay two persons, well practised in the work, 

 wdll put into the ground between five hundred and 

 a thousand per day. 



" This system was much simplified about fifty 

 years ago, and rendered so expeditious, that it seems 

 in vain to look for its receiving any further improve- 

 ment. Instead of the spade, an instrument of near- 

 ly the same shape, but so small that it can be wrought 

 with one hand as easily as a common garden-dibble, 

 was introduced, and is now known by the name of 

 the Planting-iron. With this, a notch is made in 



