TREES PLANTING.

Otago Witness, Issue 1490, 5 June 1880, Page 7

TREES PLANTING.

TO THE EDITOR.

Siu,— Being a close reader of the Farm, Station, and Garden colurnu iv the Witness (from wbick much valuable pi-apical information is to bo gathered), I noticed a pieco ou ,tree planting in the Garden column of last week's paper. As my experience differs iv many respects from what Mr Grigcr recommends as the proper course to be followed, I beg to give it. The first trees I planted were sefc in pits } it took a man a day to dig about 40 holes. The trees planted— mostly pine— certainly grew well enough, indeed much too fast. As when about six years planted, during the winter, there came a heavy rain with high wind. The consequence was the water gathered in the pits and softened the soil ; the trees with fcho constant shaking by the wind worked themselves loose in the wet earth, and were blown down. I planted these trees exactly as Mr Grigor recommends. Since then I have planted several thousands in quite a different manner. I pare the grass off a space about 18 inches in diameter, work a little of the top soil first justj ust deep enough to cover the roots of the plant. When planted, tread in firm, and in place of a depression I keep the earth well up round the stem of the plant so that no water will lie. I have planted in this way, land that had been sown some years in English grass, and also rough ground where a plough had never entered. The trees in both oases are doing well, and stand the high winds. I can plant irom 200 to 250 trees in a day. Planting in pits I could not put down more than 40 in one day. Putting trees down in pits may do well enough for a few particular one 3 round a residence, but it would never pay to plant them so in quantity. — I am, &o , Amateur Forester. Balclutha, May 28th.