ON A NEW TRANSPLANTING MACHINE. 187 



peared to me that an effectual way of overcoming this difficulty was 

 to have strong iron bars driven under the " ball," and to have the 

 chains for raising the tree made with large rings at the same distance 

 apart as the bars are from each other, and placed over the ends of 

 the bars, the ends of the chain being wound round the axles, as in 

 the case of the hay machine. Difficulties being so far overcome, the 

 next thing was to have a suitable frame placed on wheels for trans- 

 porting the trees to their new site. Nicety being useless, and not 

 having time to construct all the necessary appliances, I got a pair of 

 common broad waggon-wheels and axle, with the axle and wheels of 

 a buggy used for transporting timber, and with these we performed 

 satisfactory work. I will now give the details of the machine used. 



The machine (see Plates I. and II.) is simply a frame formed 

 of two strong beams placed on two axles with broad wheels. 

 The beams are 13 feet long, 10 inches broad, by 4 inches thick; 

 and, in order that the frame may be solid and strong when in use, 

 and at the same time easily disconnected when placed in position 

 for the removal of a tree, the side-beams are bolted to two cross 

 planks, which lie immediately above the axles, the frame being kept 

 solid and at the required distance apart in the middle by the blocks 

 of wood placed between the beams, and in immediate contact with 

 the jamb-bolts, which keep the machine knit together when in use. 

 A bar of beechwood, 7 feet long and 4 inches square, is placed on 

 the top of each of the beams, a part being hollowed out for the 

 axles to turn in ; and to keep the axles from canting over in lifting 

 or removing a tree, they are kept in their place by iron covers bolted 

 down to the beech bar referred to. The axles are 5 feet long and 2^ 

 inches in diameter, and are placed about 4 feet 9 inches apart, 

 a strong ratchet and lever being fixed on each of the axles, and a 

 keeper placed under each of the ratches. To facilitate the turning 

 of the machine, the front wheels are made to turn half round under 

 the frame by means of a locker-bolt, which passes down through the 

 end of the frame and the axle of the fore wheels. For the porta- 

 bility of the machine, shafts are attached to the front of the frame, 

 either double or single, as necessity requires. (See Plates.) 



In proceeding to lift a tree, a trench is dug round at a distance, 

 proportioned to its size, and of such a depth as to be completely under 

 the roots. In order to lighten the " ball " the extremities of the 

 roots are cleaned of superfluous soil with a common fork or grape. 

 Before placing the machine in position, a sloping trench is made on 

 opposite sides of the tree, so that the tree may be easily drawn on 

 the level ground. After having the trench cleared out, and the 



