November 27, 1866. ] 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



401 



TRANSPLANTING SHRUBS AND TREES 

 SMALL SIZE. 



OF 



ONCERNING the transplant- 

 ation of large trees and shrul is 

 I made some remarks in a 

 former communication ; hut 

 the removal of subjects of 

 less size, though not so ilifti- 

 cult, being of far more frequent occurrence, a few notes on 

 the modes of proceeding may be useful, more especially as 

 the present is a suitable season for transplanting. Although 

 there is not anything novel in the methods to which I shall 

 direct attention, one or two have been practised with tole- 

 rable success, and my describing them may be of service 

 to some of the readers of this Journal. 



Before I proceed further I will remark that success 

 depends not so much upon the mode of transplanting as 

 upon the season at which the operation is performed, and 

 though a few plants may have a particular season at 

 which when transplanted they thrive better than at others, 

 most evergreens do best when removed early in autumn, 

 September not being too early, except when, as last year, 

 it is extremely hut, ami even then, where there is moisture, 

 I believe that month to be better than later. October, 

 however, is a very good time for most plants, for the 

 warmth of summer has not yet left the ground, and the 

 roots commence at once to take possession of the soil. 

 Deciduous trees may also be planted at the same time if 

 they have ripened their summer growth ; it is not neces- 

 sary to wait for all the leaves to fall, but planting may be 

 proceeded with at once if other circumstances are favour- 

 able ; for, independently of forwarding work in autumn, 

 trees planted then do much better than later. There are, 

 indeed, many instances in which the proper time for trans- 

 planting cannot be taken advantage of, owing to a variety 

 of causes connected with new works ; but it is only neces- 

 sary to remark that in such cases greater care is requisite 

 to insure success. 



Although many plants require particular treatment, Mill 

 most of those subjected to transplantation may be roughly 

 thrown into two classes — deciduous and evergreen, each of 

 which requires a widely different mode of treatment. The 

 latter have often a mass of closely-matted roots extending 

 no very great distance from the collar of the plant, so as 

 to completely till the soil with small fibres running in all 

 directions, and binding the whole together in one ball ; 

 whilst most deciduous trees and shrubs have more naked 

 roots, the tips of wliich extend farther, but produce fewer 

 lateral roots, so that in taking them up to transplant it is 

 almost impossible to secure any considerable amount of 

 earth adhering to them. It is, therefore, better not to 

 attempt to remove such plants with what is called a ball. 

 No. 286.-V0L. XI, New Series. 



hut to endeavour to secure all the roots with as little in- 

 jury as possible, and, while taking proper care in planting, 

 to trust their success to Nature. Besides these two classes 

 there is an intermediate one, in wliich the plants have a 

 considerable proportion of roots in close proximity to one 

 another, but nearly all 1\ iiil' at the same depth and parallel 

 with each other, not above each other, as in tin- case of 

 many evergreen shrubs. This may be termed the hori- 

 zuntal-rooti'd class: it includes many of the Coniferae, and 

 considerable care is required with some to insure success 

 when they are transplanted. 



Taking it for granted that the above classes have all to 

 be operated upon, the mode of lifting the plant from its 

 position is certainly not less important than planting it 

 carefully afterwards ; on the contrary, it may be even more 

 so, for no after-management can compensate for damaged 

 or destroyed roots, and the after-wellbeing of the plant is 

 then almost entirely dependant on its accommodating 

 character and the natural advantages which it may obtain. 

 In proportion, therefore, to the care exercised in taking up 

 trees and shrubs, however small, so will their after-progress 

 be, other circumstances being the same. Such young trees 

 as have been more than one year in a place, and per- 

 haps formed a few long rambling roots instead of a nest 

 of nice fibres, ought, uevertheless, to have them taken up 

 carefully, and, if necessary, cut in afterwards with a knife, 

 so as to encourage a greater number of rootlets. All plants 

 which it is advisable to remove with a ball should be lifted 

 as carefully as possible, to prevent anything like a twist 

 at the neck, or the breaking away of a part of the ball. 

 In attempting to remove Pinuses with a ball, the latter is 

 very likely to fall to pieces in this way if due care is not 

 exercised in the removal, and most other plants are liable 

 to the same mishap; but with small plants such acci- 

 dents ought not to be of frequent occurrence. Whatever 

 may be said as to the necessity of careful transplanting, it 

 cannot he done without indicting a certain amount of in- 

 jury on the plant operated upon, and a check for the time 

 being must be the result : but this may be obviated to a 

 considerable extent by proper care at the time of taking 

 up and replanting. 



In planting shrubs and trees some recommend deluging 



them with water on placing them in the ground : this may 



be necessary in April, May. or September, if dry warm 



weather prevail, but rarely at other times. In general it 



is better to throw fine, moderately dry, pulverised soil, 



such as that which has been exposed at the surface for 



some time, over the roots or around the ball, and to place 



the coarser material at top, taking care when plants have 



! no balls to dig a hole large enough, and by no means too 



i deep, for the roots. These should be spread out at full 



length in all directions around the collar, and this is 



more especially necessary when young plants are intended 



to attain the size of timber trees, and in all probability 



1 have their roots on one side. When this is the case, dis- 



I engage some of the roots before putting the plant in the 



hole, spread them out on the bottom at the full length to 



I wliich they will reach, and let an assistant pnt a little earth 



I over each root so placed. Continue in this way till all the 



No. 9*8.— Vol_ XXXYL, Old Series. 



