TRANSPLANTING LARGE TREES. 



465 



always contain considerable alkali — sandy 

 soils very little — and clay soils retain water, 

 while sandy soils speedily lose it.* 



Those who have been in the habit of 

 throwing awav coal ashes, as useless to all 

 plants, will do well to keep them for all 



crops with stiff and glazed stems, abound- 

 ing in silex, such as corn and grain, and 

 for such trees as the cherry, the grape, the 

 linden, and almost all evergreens, since 

 they all require silica in the formation of 

 their wood and bark. 



AN INGENIOUS MODE OF TRANSPLANTING LARGE TREES. 



I5V ALEXANDER JOHNSTON, Jr., WISCASSET, ME. 



Having been a subscriber to, and constant 

 reader of your excellent publication since 

 its commencement, and having , gleaned 

 much useful and agreeable information 

 therefrom, I feel constrained to say that I 

 have often been disappointed in finding so 

 little that would answer for our " latitude," 

 as they say in the almanacs. Our winters 

 are very severe, not only as regards low 

 temperature, but in storms of driving sleet 

 and drifting snow; and sometimes, as was 

 the case last winter, we have torrents of 

 rain, and a continual alternate freezing and 

 thawing of the ground, which will destroy 

 all small plants and seedlings, by heaving 

 out, as we term it. We seldom see a 

 word of caution or advice, in these matters, 

 from any of our eastern friends, published 

 in the " Horticulturist," for the best of rea- 

 sons I presume ; that is, their communica- 

 tions are mainly directed to improving our 

 fruits, analyzing our soils, and recommend- 

 ing manures — special or general; while 

 the wintry blasts sweep on, surcharged 

 with death to every tender plant or " two 

 feet" seedling throughout the state. I have 

 lost many dollars, in " finding out," by sad 

 experience, how to raise these small things. 

 Last winter, out of 1000 Horse Chestnut 

 seedlings, I lost 500 by heaving out. This 



* A mixture of clieap soda ash or dissolved potash, with 

 coal ashes, just before using them, would no deubt add 

 greatly to their value iu sandy soils. 



winter I lose the balance by a tremendous 

 drift of snow, which, in settling, has broken 

 the plants to the earth, stripping them of 

 every bud and branch. I lose, also, two or 

 three hundred fine budded pears, which, 

 though staked and tied, are crushed to the 

 earth by the enormous mass of snow, and 

 well nigh ruined. I have several thousand 

 seedlings of fruit and ornamental trees, now 

 "in good case," and I mean they shall re- 

 main so in all time to come, as far as the 

 elements are concerned. I have " seen the 

 elephant," and learned the lesson. More 

 anon. 



I have often, almost, determined to give 

 you my method of transplanting large ever- 

 green and deciduous trees, with perfect 

 safety and success, and as often something 

 has prevented. It will suit our latitude 

 admirably, and may find favor with all. It 

 differs, somewhat, from any other practice 

 that has come to my knowledge. Early 

 4ast spring, near the first of March, I think, 

 and before the frost had started, I under- 

 took to remove a large apple tree, entire. 

 Its circumference at the ground was 40 

 inches; diameter of the top, 21 feet. It 

 grew upon a wharj, in the worst possible 

 place for removal, or move after it was up. 

 It was a very valuable tree, thrifty, and 

 worth saving, though mutilated, and annu- 

 ally clubbed by scores of boys for its fruit. 



Vol. III. 



30 



