GENERAL CULTURE 187 
amount of air and of surface heat will reach 
them — and their restoration to this depth, 
particularly at their sensitive and growing tips, 
is absolutely essential. 
The extra depth of six inches to which the 
hole is excavated is to be filled in with mound 
or pyramid shaped cushion of good soil and 
well rotted manure, if the latter is available. 
If not, the soil alone will do, well stirred and 
loosened so that the lowest rootlets may quickly 
and easily penetrate it. Make this mound of 
the right slope and form to conform to the 
downward and outward sweep of the roots; 
then place the specimen upon it and gently 
jounce it up and down, that it may bed itself 
naturally upon the yielding earth cushion. 
Make sure now that the plant stands with the 
earth mark on its bole — or branches if it is a 
shrub — exactly level with the surface of the 
ground, and guard carefully against planting 
it either higher or lower than it stood orig- 
inally. A straight board or stick long enough 
to lie on the ground and span the hole, put 
across it close up against the plant, will show 
exactly where the surface is coming when the 
hole is filled. If this is not at the right point, 
lift the specimen out and add earth or take it 
out as circumstances require. 
