DIGGING TREES. 37 



laborers will do unless watched. From this time, the 

 sooner it is in the ground the better ; but if replanting 

 is delayed, N"ature must be imitated as nearly as pos- 

 sible, by hiding the roots from the light and air, in 

 the best manner, and as soon as you can. An old rug, 

 pieces of matting, wet straw, or, when these are not 

 convenient, a light, but complete covering of pulver- 

 ized soil, should be thrown over the roots. 



Even in a rainy or cloudy day, injury is received 

 by exposure to the chilling atmosphere or light. 



When the soil is sufficiently adhesive, and the trees 

 to be planted are near their destination, a ball of earth 

 may be left around the roots, and the whole carefully 

 lifted in the arms of two men, and set in the hole. 



There is in plants a condition somewliat analogous 

 to animal heat, though hardly sufficiently well defined 

 to be pronounced A^egetable heat. But it is certain 

 that the temperature of plants must be maintained 

 within a limited range, to preserve their juices from 

 destructive change ; and this limit is much re- 

 stricted, when the roots are deprived of their natural 

 protection, and exposed to chilling atmosphere. It is 

 not necessary that the temperature of the air should 

 even be lowered to the freezing-point, to accomplish 

 great injury to the naked roots, which, while protected 

 by earth, could endure an absence of heat indicated 

 by thirty degrees below zero. Tliere is something in 

 this analogy of condition of plants to living beings 

 which, while it excites our wonder, reveals to us how 

 little we have yet learned regarding their m3^steriou3 

 processes. 



I have seen some of the roots of a pear tree, stand- 



