SOCIETY OF NORTHERN ILLINOIS. 221 



TRANSPLANTING EVERGREENS. 

 BY SAMUEL EDWAEDS, PEOEIA. 



Where choice of seasons can be had for transplanting ever- 

 greens, all who are familiar with the work, give preference to spring, 

 from opening of the ground until bursting of the buds. Some 

 choose the latter as the very best time. A. damp cloudy day or in the 

 evening is preferred for their removal to be immediately planted, but 

 in packing for shipment no requisite is more essential than keeping 

 the tops dry, and to avoid crowding them too closely, as they are thus 

 liable to heat. The moss used in packing the roots, is to be only 

 very moderately moistened, care being taken to have the moisture 

 thoroughly distriliuted. 



The old time idea that they are more liable to loss in removal 

 than deciduous trees has long since been exploded and it is now 

 generally known by all who take an interest in trees that the only 

 peculiar requisite of success is to avoid exposing the roots to drying, 

 as the resinous tap when hard is impervious to water. As to advisa- 

 bility of puddling the roots in a thin mortar of clay, there is a diver- 

 sity of opinion among those having had extensive experience. 

 Though it is a practice which has been heretofore advocated by rae, it 

 is now my opinion that with the judicious use of moss in moderately 

 moist condition for packing, there is no gain by puddling. In case 

 the roots of trees to be packed are puddled, the surface should be 

 partially dried before packing. In a dry time it does protect the 

 roots from drying for many weeks if a thick coat of it is applied at 

 the time of planting. 



Fall transplanting, at the usual time for setting deciduous trees 

 in cold climates, generally results in failure, as the roots do not become 

 well established before freezing. They succeed admirably when 

 planted after the terminal bud is well formed in July and from then 

 until middle of September, and there are occasions when it is very 

 desirable to remove them at that season. It has not been customary 

 to ship them at that time, and with the view to test its practicability, 

 two shipments were made to rae in 1884 by J. N. McCutchan, of 

 Bailey's Harbor, Wis. The first lot were planted by a novice in my 

 absence from home, the second lot came rather late in the season— r 

 and from these causes the poor success attained was attributed, 

 though many of the plants lived. Two lots of a few thousand each 

 were sent to me the past season, carefully planted, were kept well 

 watered evenings ; they are now a fine stand. From results of these 

 four trials I am satisfied that with the care requisite for success in 

 spring, evergreens may be as safely shipped and planted at the season 

 alluded to., though farther experiment is needed to satisfy me that it 

 would be safe to let them remain packed longer than a week or ten 

 days. 



