DOMESTIC NOTICES. 



293 



— a beautiful and stately tree, though somewhat 

 precise and rigid in its outline, and of much slow- 

 er growth than the Elm. It is hardy, bears 

 transplanting well, affords an impenetrable shade, 

 and alternating in rows with the elm, by the way 

 side, or mingled in groups where there is room for 

 them, it affords a beautiful and desirable variety. 

 Neither the Red-maple nor the White-maple can 

 be compared with the Rock-maple. They are 

 smaller, shorter lived, less hardy, and altogether 

 interior to it in grace and beauty, and are recom- 

 mended only where there is room for variety. 



The White Ash is a tree which seems not to be 

 appreciated, and is one of our finest trees, and for 

 size, durability and beauty, entitled to the third 

 place in our list. 



Then we have the Bass or American Linden, 

 not surpassed by any tree in the richness and beau- 

 ty of its foliage — a tree not sufficiently hardy per- 

 haps for the street, but, " beautiful exceedingly " 

 in a lawn or private grounds. 



The Beech is a tree deserving its classic fame, 

 but too full of local attachments and home feelings 

 to survive removal without great care, and the 

 Walnut is liable to the same objection. 



Where space allows, as in public squares and 

 lawns, avoid rows and square circles, and mathe- 

 matics in general, in tree-planting — avoid same- 

 ness in kind and size and shape, and endeavor to 

 imitate the cunning hand of nature in tasteful in- 

 equality of grouping. 



Time for Transplanting. — All deciduous forest 

 trees may be removed at any time after the fall 

 of the leaf in autumn, and before the bursting of 

 the buds in spring. If removed in the bright 

 warm days of spring, their roots should be care- 

 fully shaded from the sun, and in fall and winter 

 they must not be exposed naked to severe cold. 



Preparation for Setting. — For your trees upon 

 the streets, dig the holes 6 feet in diameter and 

 18 inches deep before the trees are procured ; — re- 

 place the subsoil with good soil and procure 

 enough more and deposite near, to fill up level 

 with the earth, so as not to use the sand or gravel 

 from the bottom, and have ready two pieces of 

 joist or plank 4 inches wide, with proper strips of 

 board for protection of the trees. Do all this at 

 your leisure, before the trees are (lug. It is tin* 

 largesl half of the whole operation, and should 

 never be left to the hour when returning late, wea- 

 ry and heavy laden from your labor of procuring 

 them, you will have neither time nor strength to 

 perform it carefully and speedily, and when your 

 poor trees, like so many fish out of water, are 

 panting and suffering for a return to their native 

 element. 



Selection of Trees and digging up. — Procure 

 trees from open land rather than from thick woods, 

 if possible, and those of thick and low growth, ra- 

 ther than tall and slender trees, and be sine they 

 are young and growing. It is generally advised 

 to take them from land similar to that where they 

 arc to be set, but this is not essential. Elms from 



swamps and m dry lands and 



pine plains, are now growing all about us in Exe- 

 ter. It is of more importance to i;ike them from 

 such soil as will allow their removal with least in- 

 jury to the roots, end therefore not from land filled 

 with stones or lai 



Some writers insist that the trees be marked be- 

 fore removal, thai they may be set in the same po- 

 sition as to the points of compass as before — and 

 the theory is reasonable, though the practice, how- 

 ever it may promote their growth and comfort, is 

 not essential to their life. They soon " L r et the 

 hang" of their new position, if the theory is dis- 

 regarded, while Sam Weller's reason for a father 

 whipping his boy " it can't do any hurt if it don't 

 do any good," may be given in support of the 

 practice. 



Having selected a tree of about three inches in 

 diameter, with a sharp spade, an axe and a bog 

 hoe, di<r a trench about two and a-half feel from 

 it, completely around it, deep enough to cut oil 

 every root; then dig under it till it is loosened, 

 using no crow-bar or lever to gall and split the 

 roots, and carefully preserving all the small roots 

 and fibres. Load the trees when diiL r upon a long 

 wagon, putting pine boughs under them to pre- 

 vent rubbing, ami cover the roots from the sun. 

 About a dozen such will make a load for a horse, 

 and three or four smart men can dig and get them 

 home in half a day. 



Trimming and Setting out. — With a fine saw, 

 and a knife, cut oil" smoothly all the broken roots. 

 Next cut away one-half at least of the tup, cither 

 by shortening the limbs, or cutting part of them 

 away entirely, as the shape of the tree may re- 

 quire. We are aware that this is disputed terri- 

 tory, and take the responsibility of holding it. We 

 suppose that the sap is supplied through the roots, 

 that in hot, dry weather, evaporation goes on ra- 

 pidly from the leaves — that if that evaporation 

 exceeds the supply of sap, the leaves wither and 

 the tree dies. 



But there are other reasons for lessening the 

 top. The tree has grown in a sheltered position, 

 protected from the rude ''winds of Heaven" — 

 perchance in society, resting its long arms on the 

 shoulders of its friends and kindred — supported in 

 the loving embrace of its companions. It has had 

 no discipline or preparation for the cold and lonely 

 and trying exposure of a public position. But now 

 you have cut away its old supporters — literally 

 root and branch. With its full top exposed to the 

 tempest, the small newly formed roots which 

 should attach it to its new position, are constant- 

 ly broken oil", and it cannot live. This is the 

 cause of the failure of many attempts at trans- 

 planting. Plant the tree no deeper than it grew 



before. Nature who has attended to growing 

 trees some six thousand years. understands well how 

 they should be set, and cannot be improved upon. 

 Drive your stakes before the roots are covered, 

 that you may not injure them. Then having care- 

 fully placed the roots in their natural position, fill 



