•12 TRANSPLANTING LARGE EVERGREEN TREES AND SHRUBS. 



uutuini), ^vinter, or spring, and by the middle of tlie following 

 sunmier their appearance is often anything but evergreen. They 

 may break again, or die, just as it happens ; but tliea the object in 

 view is defeated, nor could any other result be CNpected when we 

 consider the violence thus incautiously perpetrated upon a svdjject 

 in rapid growth, wliicli may have stood twenty years in its former 

 position. Nor does it appear to me that any argument can be 

 adiluced of sufficient cogencj^ to sustain such a crude proceeding 

 with anything like reasonable success. It may be urged, indeed, 

 that there is some delay in allowing a summer to pass, but the 

 delay is merely apparent. 



The next point for our consideration is the proper season 

 when the operation of transplanting should be conducted. This 

 I consider to be a much more important matter than many 

 peojjle seem to imagine. The winter months, that is from tlie 

 end of October to the beginning of April, have been generally 

 reconnnended, indeed almost universally so. From these opinions 

 I entirely dissent^ how eminent soever the authorities may be 

 who have laid them dow'n. I quite admit that a qualified success 

 may have attended their operations, but I deny, independently 

 of this, that it is the right season for tlie execution of such work, 

 and the slightest acquaintance with vegetable physiology will 

 conclusively demonstrate the truth of this assertion. Let it be 

 clearly understood that I am alluding to plants of from six to 

 thirty feet and upwards in height, and not to mere nursery stock, 

 whicii is generally kept moved about every two years, to ensure 

 its safety when transplanted out permanently ; besides, its por- 

 tability enables the operator to secure a ball and the principal 

 part of the fibres, although this work would be much more safely 

 performed at a different season. 



It would be traversing over a beaten track to enter into 

 any general detail respecting the ascent and descent of the 

 fluids in plants, and the formation and deposition annually of 

 new wood in all ligneous vegetation. It will be sufficient for 

 my purpose to state that this extension and formation takes place 

 chiefly after Midsunnner, and principally in evergreens during 

 autumn, when the young shoots begin to attain a certain degree 

 of consistency. It is during this downward tendency of the 

 fluids, and when the solar action is in some measure on the 

 decline, that I should seize and conduct with all rapidity the 

 operations of transplanting ; and, if this is intended to be con- 

 ducted extensively, I should reconnnend the end of August as a 

 good time to begin, September being the safest month in the 

 year ; selecting such plants to commence with as have matured 

 their shoots. Another and very important reason remains to be 

 stated why autumn is to be preferred for undertakings of this 



