PLANTING AND TRANSPLANTING 43 



in this way requires much more care, but it assures less loss than the 

 other method, which is a violent process and requires strong recupera- 

 tive powers in the tree which is transplanted. 



Drainage of Tree Pits. Ample drainage must be provided for 

 large trees, especially when set in clayey soil. The soil with which 

 trees are transplanted is normally a medium loam, not too compact in 

 character. This soil is much more porous than the heavy clay soil 

 in which the hole for the tree may be excavated. Consequently, 

 the natural tendency during wet seasons is for the water to drain 

 toward the tree pit and to "water soak" the loose topsoil in which the 

 tree has been set. This really places the tree in a reservoir. A tree 

 will survive such treatment if it can withstand extreme moisture con- 

 ditions, or if the water drains slowly away. However, the tree is 

 generally killed during the first season, or may survive in a much 

 weakened condition. The normal method of draining trees is to pro- 

 vide a four-inch tile connected with some outlet in the form of existing 

 tile drains, or lower ground, so that the water may be taken away. 

 In the event that there is no opportunity to provide this type of 

 drainage it is desirable to excavate a hole to a greater depth — approxi- 

 mately three to five feet — and thereby provide below the tree a space 

 of at least twelve inches which should be filled with broken stone or 

 other porous material and in which water resulting from normal rain- 

 fall may be collected. In this way the root growth may be kept from 

 drowning. 



Method of Procedure in Transplanting Large Trees. It is 

 economical in transplanting large trees to adopt the following method 

 of procedure. 



In selecting large trees for transplanting great care should be 

 exercised to select only those individual trees which show a vigorous 

 growing condition and which are more or less symmetrical. 



1. Select and stake the proposed location where the tree is to be transplanted. 



2. Cover this space, over a diameter of at least ten feet, with ten to twelve inches 



of fresh stable manure. This is more economical than to excavate the hole 

 and fill it with topsoil for the reason that this topsoil is apt to freeze and be 

 useless at time of transplanting. 



3. Preserve a single large pile of topsoil (rather than a number of small piles, 



which freeze in a severe winter) and cover this with twelve or fifteen inches of 



