ON TRANSPLANTING TREES. 15 



In using- the machine, a good trench is first made round the 

 tree, sufficiently far from the stem to retain all, or as many as 

 can be got, of the young roots. These are tied in bundles, and 

 taken gi-eat care of. Then with the fork and pickaxe the ball is 

 reduceti to such a size as can conveniently be managed, i. e., from 

 4 feet to 6 feet in diameter, according to the height of the tree, 

 and state of the roots. Having worked well under the ball until 

 the tree is loose (or previously), a man is sent to tie a rope to the 

 6tem, at about two -thirds the height of the tree. If necessary, 

 this rope is afterwards used as a guy rope, and if the tree is tall 

 or heavy headed a second guy rope is employed. The tree is then 

 pulled over on one side, until the top touches the ground, and 

 the ball is on edge. A roadway for the truck having been made, 

 sloping from the natural ground to the bottom of the hole, the 

 tapered end of the truck is then pushed under the ball, the tree 

 having been pulled over to allow the truck to be pushed under, 

 as far as possible. The ball of the tree is then let gently down 

 upon the truck, and a chain is fastened from the rings of the 

 ^atter, round the bottom part of the stem, a mat or old sack 

 jeing placed so that the chain sliall not injure it when the latter 

 s tightened, which is done by a short lever, which twists it as 

 iglitly as possible, to prevent the ball from slipping. This being 

 done securely, the horse or horses draw tlie ti'ee out of the hole, 

 a horse being fastened near each corner of the truck, to a strong 

 " eye" or " drail," similar to that by which at any time a second 

 horse is put to a cart. The tree being fairly on level ground, 

 the pole is put into the socket at the end of the truck, and fastened 

 by an iron pin, and in the mean time the horses are yoked to the 

 tapered end of the truck, both ends being fnrnished vtdth fasten-' 

 ings ; and thus the tree is conveyed where it is destined to stand. 

 In placing the tree on its new site, nothing more is necessary 

 than to have a good hole made a foot or more wider every way 

 than the roots extend. A roadway for the truck is cut from the 

 natural surface to the bottom of the hole, and on the opposite side 

 means are afforded for the horses to get out of the hole. The 

 truck being in the middle of the latter, loosen the chain, take 

 out the pole^ bring down the head of the tree so as to allow the 

 edge of the ball to touch the bottom of the hole, then drav/ out the 

 truck, and should the tree not have got quite an upright position, 

 pull the ropes to render it so, at the same time packing the ball 

 with fine soil until it stands upright of itself. Every root that has 

 been injured in taking up should now be cut smooth, and every 

 one laid out as straight and natural as possible, resembling the 

 rays of a circle, great care being taken to pack fine soil firmly 

 round the ball, and to surround every fibre with the best and 

 finest soil, until every root is covered. 



The machine just described was found to perform its work ex* 



