THE planter's GUIDE. 



205 



the depth of the root, (that is, the thickness of the mass 

 of roots and earth together, from the upper part of the 

 collar to the under-bed of the roots,) in order to ascertain 

 if the excavation be of the proper depth. Supposing the 

 depth of the root to be fourteen or fifteen inches, (which 

 in a Beech is very supposable,) and the whole depth of 

 the prepared soil of the pit to be two feet, then he 

 directs the workmen to prepare a bed in the centre 

 somewhat deeper, saj three or four inches, to receive 

 the tap-roots, should thej be prominent, which with 

 the Beech seldom happens ; sloping the pit upwards 

 in the cup-fashion, but leaving it at the sides as high 

 as before. 



It is a matter of first-rate importance to get the tree 

 set in the pit as shallow as possible, and to allow suffi- 

 cient pabulum for the downright roots on the one hand, 

 and a sufficient cover at top upon the other. If the sub- 

 soil be dry, the director may give and take a little in 

 making his estimate ; but if it be tenacious of moisture, 

 better that you should have a cart-load or two of earth 

 to add to the mound afterwards, than that the roots 

 should be deprived of the full influence of the sun and 

 air by being insufficiently raised up. No stagnation of 

 water can ever occur in the prepared soil of the pit, if 

 the directions given in the last section, as to judicious 

 excavation, be properly apprehended and followed out. 



The second thing he has to advert to is, to ascertain 

 the position of the mark previously made upon the stem, 

 while the tree stood upright, for designating the side 

 where the longest boughs are thrown out, so that, in 

 moving towards the pit, such a course may be steered as 

 to bring those boughs to the stormy quarter, which 

 generally is the west or south-west. Almost all trees, as 

 already stated in section IV., are unequally balanced, 



