TRANSPLANTING TREES IN WINTER. 



to leave a ball of unbroken earth, from six to eight feet across the top, and rounded 

 on the bottom to the shape of the inside of a common washbowl, and then left it, still up- 

 right, about three days, until the ball was frozen. "VYe then attached a rope to the tree, 

 about fifteen feet from the ground, having first wound it with matting, to prevent galling. 

 Four men, with double blocks and pulleys, were sufficient to bring its top to the ground, 

 when a common ox-sled, covered with strong plank, was backed under, and chained so as 

 not to slip. Then shifting our ropes, we pulled the tree upright upon the sled, at the same 

 time slipping it by means of chains, round the mass of earth, with the oxen, into the re- 

 quired position. 



Eight oxen Avere used to start the sled with the tree, out of the hole, and when fairly 

 on the road each tree made a comfortable load for two yoke, being, as the teamsters ex- 

 pressed it, about as much heft as a cord of green hickory. We unloaded by supporting 

 the top b}-- means of the puUies, and slipping the bottom upon sticks of timber, directly 

 from the sled into the hole previously prepared, at one pull with the oxen. Having care- 

 fully filled the space about the ball with the soil, protected by a covering of straw from 

 freezing, and placed three strong props against the tree, to maintain its uprightness 

 through the next season, I pronounce the work done, postponing the matter of pruning 

 until spring. Our soil is a sandy loam, free from stones, and our teamsters and their oxen 

 understand their business thoroughly, or we could not so readily perform our opera- 

 tions. 



I should not have thought it Avorth Avhile to trouble you with a repetition of a process 

 so fomiliar with many of j^our readers, but half the Avorld who do read, seem to have an 

 idea, that those modern improvements are confined entirely to ink and paper, and are as 

 much surprised to see them really practiced, as though they never had heard of them. A 

 friend of mine came in his sleigh to see my trees in their triumphal entry into the village, 

 and after satisfying himself with seeing, inquired in a somewhat confidential tone, " Now 

 do 3^ou really expect these trees are going to liveV And, by the way, how very common, 

 and how very pernicious is the idea, that if you can make a tree live, the whole object is 

 attained. When ivill it be understood that 



" It is not all of life to live,^^ 



even for a tree; that to be entitled to any respect, the tree, as well as the planter, must 

 occupy some position, either useful or ornamental. It must not onlj^ live, but grow and 

 flourish, and look cheerful, and happy, and contented, in its new situation, and not as if 

 it had experienced some recent bereavement, and Avere looking back Avith regret to its for- 

 mer estate, and half changed, like Lot's Avife, into a pillar of salt, or something else as 

 unlovely. 



It is a very small part of the art of transplanting to make a tree live. I set some oak 

 fence posts last spring, and they livsd, and threAV out shoots half a foot long. 



A tree may live, though set so deeply that it Avill scarcely groAV an inch for years. It 

 may live, if its roots be badly mutilated, and the top left entire and unsupported; but if 

 he who planted it lives also, long enough to Avatch the progress, he Avill see, perhaps, about 

 half the limbs die the first year, and the tree looking decidedly down street I The second 

 and third year he will see a feAv half fledged branches, and possibly some new shoots from 

 the trunk, and by the next year he will conclude to cut the top off, as should have been 

 done at first, or get discouraged and leave landscape gardening to those who have better 

 hick. A tree, tall and slender, taken from the thick forest may live, but it Avill expend its 

 energies for years, in strcghtening its trunk and roots, before its top Avill expand; 

 tare spreads no more sail to the breeze than she can safely carry. I do expect forest 



