274 



JOUENAL OF HOETICULTUEE AND COTTAGE GAEDENEK. 



( March 28, 1872. 



by fastening a strong rope about two-thirds up tlie tree to 

 steady its descent, and to prevent its coming down suddenly. 

 Some of the stronger upper branches may be caught by long 

 forks, such as those used in /i../. S, to lift up with, but it will 

 not be so difficult if the soil be cleared out some little distance 

 farther on the side on which the roots are left, so as to allow 

 them more space to bend ; and as they will most likely have 

 gi-own very irregularly, to keep them properly spread and in 

 their places, it will be advisable to have some strong forked 

 pegs well pointed, inserted with a small iron bar, and after- 

 wards driven firmly in with a wooden mallet. These wiU not 

 only keep the root's in their places but will help to secui-e the 

 tree from blowing over. lu addition, very large trees will re- 

 quire some other support to keep them quite safe (see fig. 4). 

 I use three or four long forked poles at the angles ; on the 

 opposite side to that on wliieh the roots are left, of eoui-se none 

 will be needed. As the poles would look veij unsightly on 



a lawn or any conspicuous place, in such positions tar rope 

 may be fastened — say, at two-thirds the height of the tree, 

 previously placing a good bandage round the tree to save it 

 from being chafed or wounded. The ropes will of course be 

 fastened to sufficiently strong pegs , and by means of such ropes 

 the tree may be more easily lowered and raised again than 

 would otheiTvise be the case. 



.\s I have practised this mode of tree lifting for many years, 

 and on many hundreds of trees, I can confidently recommend 

 it as a most successful method, and I know that no one will 

 regret giving it a trial it it be carefully practised, and doubtless 

 it may be improved upon. 



I ought, perhaps, to say a few more words about Pears on 

 Quinces, Apples on Paradise stocks, and Chemes on Cerasns 

 Mahaleb. .\s to the last producing fruit earlier, there can be 

 no question, and I find many Cherries bear even a much better 

 crop than on the free stock, but as I before remarked, the 



Chei-ries do not Uf t so well when they become large as they 

 do on the free stock, and Quince stocks will not succeed in 

 very sandy soil. 

 I will now give dimensions of a few Pears on Quince stocks. 



I find .Apples on Paradise stocks bear well, but from the 

 smaUness of their roots they are difficult to keep upright if 

 lifted when the trees get large. A tree naturally a bad grower 

 may be made quite ornamental by providing for it a full-grown 

 stock — say, Broom Park, Beurrfi Gris d'Hiver Xouveau , or Prince 

 Albert, forlate Pears ; andBeurr<iLeonleClerc,Beurre Superfin, 

 Doyennf; Robin, Duchesse d'Orleans, or similar good growers of 

 whatever height you may desire — 6, 8, 10, 12, or more feet. Care 

 must be taken not to leave the branches grafted too long, 

 or the variety which is put on will not have room to properly 



expand itself without becoming an unsightly tree. One Pear 

 Alexandi'e Lambre, I could not even get to live more than four 

 or five years on the Pear stock, but I have since worked it on 

 an old variety, and have by this means obtained a magnificent 

 tree. 



The following are a few points in which my method of tree- 

 lifting differs from that of Mr. Rivers, not so much in tlie 

 mode of operation as in the results. Mr. Eivers's method is 

 intended for small gardens where many varieties may be gi'own 

 in a small space ; mine is intended for those of any dimensions, 

 however large. Air. Eivers's was intended pai-tly as a source 

 of amusement, mine more as a source of profit ; Mr. Eivers's 

 only for the fruit garden, mine may be applied to ornamental 

 trees and shrubs previous to then- removal, by waiting two 

 years — that is, by giving two hftiugs^almost with a certainty 

 of success. How much has been written about the manner 

 and time for transplanting large HoUies and other trees and 

 shrubs , and what a cumbrous affair has been the removal of 

 many hundredweights and sometimes tons of soil, and how 

 great the risk of their growing ! In this way, however, thei'e 

 is no occasion to remove any larger proportion of soil than in 

 the case of a tree or shrub 2 feet high, and the trees are almost 

 certain to grow — at least I have only lost one out of many 

 hundreds, and that was cliiefl}' through carelessness. Many 

 valuable trees, after years of growth, are found to be in the 



