186 ON A NEW TRANSPLANTING MACHINE. 



XX. On a nciv Transplanting Machine. By James Kay, 

 Forester, Bute Estate, Bothesay. (Plates I. and II.) 



Having a number of trees to transplant in spring (1873), and 

 there being nothing more suitable for the purpose than a common 

 janker used for transporting logs, I carefully considered the con- 

 struction of those machines that have been in use for some time, 

 such as M'Glashan's and M'Kay's (referred to in Brown's "Forester"), 

 as well as the old-fashioned janker; it appeared to me that none of 

 them possessed the simplicity and power necessary for carefully lift- 

 ing, removing, and transplanting trees. The old-fashioned janker un- 

 doubtedly possesses sufficient power, but the tree is put to a severe 

 test at the outset by being torn from the ground by physical force, 

 and the roots and branches rudely dragged along the ground, and 

 the earth jostled from the upturned root at every movement. 

 Certainly a more barbarous way of pulling a tree out of the ground 

 could not be devised. The construction and mode of lifting the 

 tree by M'Kay's machine is certainly more satisfactory than with 

 the janker. Still the means of getting the wooden bars placed 

 under the root are somewhat imperfect, and cannot bear up the 

 weight of the tree so effectually as if placed immediately under the 

 root — the planks being placed along the outer edge of the ball, 

 thereby straining the roots. The raising of the tree is also performed in 

 a slow and cumbrous manner, being effected by common hand screws, 

 and the chain made to pass round the planks on which the tree rests. 



In regard to M'Glashan's machine, however effective it may be in 

 raising shrubs or moderate-sized plants, it seems to me to be un- 

 suited for removing trees of large size ; for though it may be possible 

 to lift a large plant, it is evident that if part of the " ball" should 

 be detached, the plant would fall to the ground, not having suffi- 

 cient support between the spades. 



Having considered all these matters, I set about contriving how 

 to obviate the difficulties. It occurred to me that a common hay- 

 compressing machine possessed the elements of what was wanted. I 

 may state that this is simply a square frame, with a movable bottom, 

 which is compressed against the hay by chains wound round two 

 strong iron axles by means of two strong ratchets and levers — one 

 ratchet and lever being fixed on each axle. Still, though the 

 levers and chains possessed the power wanted to raise any given 

 weight, the difficulty was, how a solid platform could to be got under- 

 neath the tree without running the risk of tilting it over. It ap- 



