TRANSPLANTIXG LARGE TREES. 



TRANSPLANTING LARGE TREES. 



BY CHARLE.-5 WVLLYS ELLIOTT, NEW-HAVEN, CT 



Therk are many places which would be benefited by the presence of a few large trees; 

 whose onwers would gladly spend some money to see trees growing near their dwellings, 

 wiiich should give, not oidy shade, but should clothe them with a leafy garment to hide 

 their nakedness. What a difference there is between a house — no matter how well pro- 

 portioned and tasteful— standing upon a bare plane or an e.vposed hill, and one covered 

 and sheltered b\' the protecting arms of siiadowy trees, every lover of home and the 

 country has too often felt. It is not always possible to choose a site which is furnished 

 with these, and otlier desirable circumstances; so that trees must be supplied by the own- 

 er, and he and they must bide their time. But there are two ways at least of going about 

 this. 



One is, to contract with some enterprising early rising man of the neighborhood, to 

 plant out a nuinber, perhaps one or two bundled, say at fifty cents each, or even sixty 

 cents, should he warrant thcui to grow. He goes to his swamp, where the trees run up 

 tall and straight, and SLlc-cts nice, handsome stems, about four inches in diameter, and 

 say twenty-five feet in height; he takes his axe and cuts down into the shaky bog, throu"-h 

 the four or five roots of the tree, at twelve to fifteen inches from the stem, pulls the tree 

 down to the ground, cuts off the whole of the head, say at about ten feet from the root, 

 and the tree is then ready to be loaded into a cait for planting on any gentleman's place. 

 He does this again and again; and it is quick work, for there are usually but a few lono- 

 naked roots in such covers, and the labor of getting trees up is small. Ilavin"- loaded 

 them, they are ready for transportation the next day. Now in spring and autumn the 

 nights are apt to be fro.sty — and should the roots be exposed to a pretty severe freezino- 

 it would not be surprising. But let them once be delivered on the naked grounds. What 

 then.'' It is easiest to plant them in rows — and saves all thought and consultation either 

 on the part of the owner or a landscape gardener. The planter is to have fifty cents each, 

 and he can't sjjcnd his time shilly-shallying; so he opens the holes twenty-five inches in 

 diameter, (or thirty-one inches,) because twice 12 is 24, and twenty-five inches is large 

 enough — and it may be twelve inches deep to the subsoil, which is usually hard and sterile; 

 he places the roots in it, taking great care that the stem is perpendicular and true in the 

 line; then he covers the roots quickly to keep them from the air, tramples the earth, and 

 the deed is done, — the tree planted. 



How does the tree grow.? Sometimes well. Elms are especially tenacious of life; often 

 though, they push weak growth along the stem the first season, for there is some strength 

 in it, and dwindle away during the summer drouth or in the second year. Should they 

 grow they are long in making a head; for trees are like men, starvation, neglect, want of 

 cultivation — inevitably induce weakness, disease and death. 



This is one method of planting: — there is another, and the routine of plantino- a single 

 tree, one of a number which has been planted and have thriven now the third year, will 

 suffice. 



1. A hole to receive the tree was opened in the month of October, sixteen feet in diame- 

 ter and three feet deep. All the tops and good soil, containing some of the vellow sub 

 was thrown out by itself — the subsoil, gravel, &c.. was thrown up and carted 

 ther earth brought in its place. A horse cart load of rotted stable manure, and 



