THE SEASON FOR TRANSPLANTIiXG. 



be sufHcient to make fell planting more successful generally. Gardeners know the im 

 portance of bottom heat in inducing cuttings to strike root, and the soil in the fall will be 

 warmer, as compared with the air, than it is in spring, and will probably, in consequence, 

 be more favorable to the emission of roots. Spring, moreover, is a very busy time Mith 

 the fermer and gardener, and work which can as well be done in the fall, should be disposed 

 of at that time. Besides, by planting early in the fall, we have the choice of nursery 

 stock, a matter of some importance. 



I mentioned that success in planting depends much on the weather, and on the care ob- 

 served in performing the operation. Mild, cloudy, moist weather should always be se- 

 lected for planting, if possible. Leaves perform their functions by the aid of diffused 

 light, or in cloudy weather, as well as in bright sunshine; they are not, indeed, capable 

 of doing the same amount of work, but in cloudy weather, and with a damp atmosphere, 

 there is less evaporation from the leaves, and roots do not dry so quickly when exposed to 

 the air. The surface of roots should never be suffered to become dry. When removing 

 from one part of a garden to another, no more plants should be lifted at once than ran be 

 planted while the roots continue moist, and when transplanting from a distant nursery, 

 they should be coated with puddle, and further protected by moss and matting. 



In planting, a space should be dug out wide enough to allow the roots to be spread ho- 

 rizontally. This is seldom attended to as it ought; many seem never to consider that a 

 plant is a living being, requiring food, or if such a thought occurs to them, they must con- 

 clude that it is a matter of little moment how the roots are disposed of, so that thej^ are 

 buried in the soil. The quantity and quality of fruit produced in after years will be in- 

 fluenced to some extent by tlie character or position of the roots, and by the mode in which 

 they are distributed through the soil. During the growing season, there is a more or less 

 constant motion of the fluids in a soil; downwards when much rain falls, and upwards 

 when dry weather prevails, to supply evaporation; by this means food is presented to the 

 roots, and it is obvious that a plant must work at greater advantage whose roots extend 

 horizontally six feet, as compared with one whose roots do not extend over more than 

 half that distance. If we tether a calf to a stake in a pasture, the food can only be avail- 

 able Avithinthe length of its tether; extend the tether but a little, and by the increased cir- 

 cumference of the circle the supply of food is considerably increased. Not only should 

 the main roots be spread horizontally, but the lateral fibres should be so arranged as to 

 cover as great a surface as possible. When the roots are spread, I cover them slightly 

 Avith earth, then lay on a coating of manure or compost, apply water, and level with the 

 common soil. Some, when planting fruit trees, dig out the earth below where the roots 

 are to be spread, and add a foot or so of compost, but unless a soil is very poor, I prefer 

 laying the manure about the roots. The fibrous roots of plants are so constituted as to grow 

 most in that direction wherein they meet with most food, and it is desirable to keep them 

 near the surface. The shallowest planted trees are generall}' the most fruitful, and many 

 an unthrifty tree has been restored to health and fruitfulness, by simply raising its main 

 roots nearer the surface. 



The character or the position of the roots of a tree, I have found a matter of some im- 

 portance. The nearer they spring from a common center the better, — I mean there should 

 be one tier or whorl, above another. This will not be the case, or at least not to an inju- 

 rious extent, if cuttings are not planted more than about three inches deep, or if seedling 

 trees are not replanted deeper than they at first grew. But I have observed in cases where 

 cuttings were abundant, that many have been made too large, and planted too deep; roots 

 were emitted the whole length of the part inserted, and as it is usual to raise 



