*32 



GARDENING. 



Jan. /J, 



MOVING LARGE TREES. 



for skidways. Then the capstan was set 

 on ahead and the trees drawn forward 

 exactly like a house. The spread of the 

 roots and the weight of the earth was 

 sufficient to hold the trees upright, 

 although chains and guys were placed in 

 position for greater security. Only a 

 heavy wind or hurricane would have top- 

 pled them over. 



The excavation which was to receive 

 the trees had already been prepared, a 

 foot being allowed for settling, and the 

 tree was rolled into it. The roots were 

 unpacked, trimmed as carefully as nursery 

 stock, and planted and packed with earth 

 with the greatest care. They were placed 

 as nearly as possible in their former posi- 

 tion, except that the slope was now from 

 west to east instead of from east to west 

 as it was before, thus turning the trees 

 half way around. The top was not 

 trimmed in the least as it could not be 

 reached. Very important to the future 

 success of the trees were the large quanti- 

 ties of good earth which were put into 

 the excavation At least one hundred 

 yards were used. The trees were given 

 special watering for two or three years, 

 but none thereafter. 



The success of the removal is to be meas- 

 ured by succeeding results. The change 

 of position seemed to have had no effect 

 upon the trees whatsoever. They were not 

 checked in growth in the least, and have 

 grown and leaved since then with all 

 their former vigor, and bid fair to do so. 

 The whole secret of success is in the care 

 of the roots. They were cared for in such 

 a way as to retain their vitality to the 

 utmost, and placed so as to secure abund- 

 ant food, in order to successfully feed so 

 large a tree. The rest was only a prob- 

 lem in engineering. 



Two years later a still larger tree was 

 moved for the distance of fourteen miles, 

 with the same success and with as good 

 results. The height was seventy feet, the 

 circumference of the trunk three feet above 

 the ground was eight feet two inches and 

 the weight of the whole including the ball 

 of earth was forty tons. The only differ- 

 ence in the manner of removal was that 

 an iron bar six inches wide and two 

 inches thick was passed horizontally 



through the tree at the height of eleven 

 feet, against which were braced large tim- 

 bers to keep the tree in an upright position. 

 There are many cases in which the 

 removal of a large tree to a suitable loca- 

 tion at once rather than wait for one to 

 grow is not open to question. Many 

 situations both in the wa3 r of beauty 

 and comfort are incomplete without 

 the strength and protection of such 

 an object, and the character which it 

 lends to a landscape from the dignity of 

 its age cannot be found in any other way. 

 Downing, in his essays, mentions the case 

 of a person who has built a house upon a 

 perfectly open and level piece of ground. 

 Years must elapse before a young tree is 

 of much value, and the only feasible way 

 to supply what isneeded if one can afford 

 it is removal. 



Downing also discusses what trees may 

 be moved. In his day, Sir Henry Stuart 

 of Scotland had written a book relating 

 his own success in moving all kinds of trees, 

 which attracted much attention. The 

 plan was perfectly feasible in the moist 

 climate of Scotland, but signally failed. 

 Downing says, in the dry summers of 

 America. Two kinds of trees, however, 

 did succeed, and they of the most beauti- 

 ful, the elm and the maple. Instead of 

 growing a deep tap-root like the others, 

 they possess large numbers of fibroxis 

 roots which give many months by which 

 the trees may feed when placed in a new 

 position. Downing also says that a tree 

 grown in an isolated position is surer of 

 success when transplanted than one pro- 

 tected by others. The vital question in the 

 whole matter, however, is the root-sys- 

 tem. The greater the opportunities for 

 the tree to procure food, the greater the 

 probability of success. A. P.Wyman. 



The Flower Garden. 



RUDBEGKIAS-AN EXPLANATION. 



On page 107 you quote an English cor- 

 respondent as saying in an English paper 

 this plant is not very new to English 

 gardens. It is evident that he cannot yet 

 have seen the true Rudbeckia Golden Glow, 

 as it is absolutely new to English gar- 

 dens. The plant he goes on to speak of 

 as R. laevigata and confounds with K. 

 Golden Glow is a different plant entirely, 

 having single flowers. Messrs. Barr & 

 Sons first brought R. laevigata into prom- 

 inence and specimens from their stock 

 were used in the preparation of the plate 

 in The Garden, but under the name of R. 

 nitida. As the writer of the article that 

 accompanied the plate, the name of the 

 species being new to me, I went to some 

 trouble to find out exactly what/?. nitida 

 was, but found opinions divided, so 

 Messrs. Barr compromised the matter by 

 . sending the plant out under the popular 

 name Autumn Glory. Of its merits I can 

 speak highly^ and I recall a bed of it iso- 

 lated on the grass in Kew Gardens that 

 was a glorious picture for many weeks. 



MOVING LARGE TREES 



