THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 311 
ON LIFTING FRUIT AND ORNAMENTAL TREES. 
BY GEORGE LEE, F.R.H.S., CLEVEDON. 
SY method of fruit-tree-lifting, which, I think, may be 
ij, practised on forest and ornamental trees and shrubs 
(previous to removal) with perfect success, is as 
follows :— 
The soil is cleared off in a circle round the tree, five, 
six, eight, or more feet in diameter (according to the size of the 
tree), down to the roots, a trench is then dug sufliciently deep, three 
fourths or more round, leaving only about two or three roots on one 
side undisturbed. The trench is dug round with a spade to cut off 
any roots which may have gone beyond, and the soil is worked from 
between the roots into the trench with a fork (this should be done 
with some care not to bruise or cripple the roots), and thrown out 
of the trench with a spade as it becomes full. In this way you get 
with comparative ease at any roots which may have gone perpen- 
dicularly, and are able to dig sufficiently deep to get them up long 
enough to turn horizontaily, which is of great importance, for if 
these roots are cut short off, they are almost certain (except they are 
very large ones) to strike perpendicularly again. The soil thus 
cleared out, and the roots all free (except those which have been left 
undisturbed), the tree is turned over on the side in which the roots 
are left. 
The next time they are lifted, the roots thus left are cut off, and 
the tree is turned the opposite way. “hus, if the roots are left on 
the west side this time, they will be left on the east next, and so on 
alternately. 
I find on lifting a large tree, which has not been previously lifted, 
that some regard should be paid to the prevailing strong windy. 
Thus, if the prevailing strong winds are from the west, the roots 
should be left the first time of lifting on the west side; but it 
does not much matter if we begin with small trees, supposing the 
trees are in single rows, running north and south—the best way then 
would be to turn them east and west ; but suppose there are double, 
or treble, or more rows, and they run north and south, then it will 
be necessary to turn them at some other angle, so that the tops and 
branches may be as free as possible from coming in contact with 
other trees, say north-east or south-west. 
The greater part of my trees, which have been lifted several 
times, would, if taken entirely out of the ground, stand on the sur- 
face without any support, and it would take quite a strong breeze to 
upset them, and, I think, the labour is amply compensated by the 
superior crop of fruit, both as to quality and quantity. Perhaps I 
ought to speak more strongly than this, for I consider the crop pays 
several times over the expenses. But for my experience in lifting 
(for which I am indebted to Mr. Rivers; for although my method 
differs materially from his, yet it has been suggested by it, and but 
for his I should never have thought of mine) my trees, more than 
2,000 in number, would have been almost valueless, from my having 
some years since to clear off the garden then occupied for building 
October. 
