THE PENINSULA FARMERS' CLUB— DISCUSSIONS. 95 



and jnst forty rods square, are the exact dimension. I only claim that the 

 proportion of shelter to cleared land should be such as to make the protection 

 ample. 



TRANSPLANTING. 



Mr. Tracy then opened the discussion on transplanting, as follows : 



We have practically but two seasons for transplanting, fall and spring. 

 Those who advocate fall planting say that the earth has time to settle about 

 the roots during the winter, and the roots may sometimes even make a small 

 growth, and they generally Avill become callused over the cut extremities, and 

 60 be all ready to commence growth in the spring. This is a strong argument, 

 but it is objected to, that if we have cold, dry winds they will carry off more 

 moisture from the limbs and the exposed parts of the tree than the roots 

 can furnish, and the result is that the trees become somewhat shriveled and 

 dried. There must be moisture supplied in the spring to counterbalance this 

 loss, before the tree can commence to grow, and so we may lose far more than 

 we have gained. In spring setting what advantage is gained in this respect is, 

 I think, sometimes lost by delay in setting. Sometimes the setting is delayed 

 until the buds are open. It is true that if the trees are taken up in fall and 

 sheltered, they may be kept back. But still I believe many trees fail by being 

 set too late. 



"We all know that trees make most of their growth during a few days or 

 weeks of spring and early summer ; it is fair to conclude that the air is then in 

 the best condition to promote growth. In any ordinary setting it will take 

 some time for the trees to recover from the injuries received in transplanting, 

 and get into condition where growth is possible, and if we delay our setting 

 there is much danger that this time will carry us beyond the most favorable 

 season in growth, and into that which will simply induce a ripening of wood 

 already i'ormed. 



It is not so much the want of rain, but the dry atmosphere, that is so hard 

 on trees set too late. Another matter: It see?ns of small importance what day 

 we select to set trees; but I think it is of much importance. When a day is 

 cloudy it would seem that it must be a good day; but it may not be as good as 

 a day when the sun is shining. It wants a moist air. Moist air and sunshine 

 is not so bad as dry air and a cloudy day. I will tell you bow }'ou can make a 

 little instrument with which you can tell the relative difference of moisture on 

 different days. Procure two ordinary thermometers, take them out of the case 

 with the metallic slide attached, fasten them side by side on a board, under one 

 of them suspend a test tube or vial filled with water. Cover the bulb of this 

 thermometer with a piece of linen, letting it hang down into the water in the 

 test tube. The water will pass up this piece of linen to the bulb by capillary 

 attraction, — the same as oil passes up the wick of a lamp, — keeping the bulb 

 moist. Evaporation always, as we say, consumes heat, and with this arrange- 

 ment any evaporation from the cloth must draw part of its heat from the 

 bulb of the thermometer, which will consequently stand lower. The more 

 water in the air the less will be the evaporation, and consequently the less will 



