318 THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 



with certain plants be ventured upon with perfect safety. Ever- 

 greens, as before hinted, afford much more scope for variation in the 

 periods of removal than deciduous shrubs and trees. It would be 

 difficult to name a month in the whole year when some of them may 

 not be transplanted with success. Much will, however, of course 

 depend upon the condition of the individual to be removed. If it 

 has occupied its situation for a series of years, and has consequently 

 become coarse rooted, it is hardly a fit subject to be transplanted in 

 summer. In fact, such a plant would require very careful treat- 

 ment if removed at the best of all seasons, autumn, and under the 

 most favourable circumstances to give it a chance of success. Plants 

 so circumstanced mostly require a special course of education to fit 

 them for a change of place when advisable to transplant them at 

 all. But such as are of a reasonable size and in a good moveable 

 condition may be transplanted successfully at widely different periods 

 of the year. Thus Conifers may be transplanted safely when the 

 young shoots are three or four inches long, and in a succulent state, 

 provided proper precautions are taken and plenty of water given at 

 the time. I recollect an instance where some hundreds were moved 

 in the middle of June, and a very hot June too, with hardly the loss 

 of a plant. Nor were they in the best possible condition at root 

 either for such an experiment. However, circumstances rendered it 

 necessary that they should be moved, and moved they accordingly 

 were. Each plant as it was taken up was dipped, as described in a 

 former page, and also well wetted at root when planted. The young 

 shoots drooped beneath the sun for a day or two ; but in the course 

 of a week the plants were established, and the general result was all 

 that could be desired. 



Again, in order to finish the planting of a new garden, it was 

 necessary to cirry on the work far into the spring. The last plants 

 removed were some common laurels, five or six feet in height. The 

 ground was loose and gravelly, and prevented anything like a ball 

 of earth being secured with the roots ; in fact, when each plant was 

 taken up all the earth fell away, leaving the roots wholly bare. 

 Great care was exercised to preserve, as far as possible, the succu- 

 lent and active rootlets, which were in abundance, from injury. 

 The plants were removed about the sixth of May, when the young 

 shoots had pushed several inches in length ; nevertheless, not one 

 plant died, nor did any receive much damage. A few showery days 

 succeeded their removal, and doubtless contributed much to their 

 success. If it is urged that such natural conditions can rarely be 

 calculated on, and that planting at that season is consequently not 

 generally practicable, it must be admitted that the results of such 

 experiments teach us under what various conditions planting may 

 be carried on, and that in a limited practice at least these conditions 

 may, to some extent, be given artificially. 



The Evergreen Oak is perhaps one of the most difficult trees to 

 transplant successfully, yet, if the proper conditions be secured it 

 succeeds well enough. I once saw a number, a week or two after 

 their removal, that had been transplanted in May, when their young 

 shoots were an inch or two long. Hardly a plant had failed. I 





