Book IV. TRANSPLANTING. 403 



2080. T/ie prqyaration of the soil implies, in all cases, stirring, loosening, mixing, and 

 comminution ; and, in many cases, the addition of manure or compost, according to the 

 nature of the soil and plant to be inserted, and according as the same may be in the open 

 ground, or in pots or hot-houses. 



2081. The removal of the plant is generally effected by loosening the earth around it, 

 and then drawing it out of the soil with the hand ; in all cases avoiding as much as pos- 

 sible to break, or bruise, or otherwise injure the roots. In the case of small seedling 

 plants, merely inserting the spade and raising the portion of earth in which they grow 

 will suffice ; but in removing larger plants, it is necessary to dig a trench round, or on one 

 side of the plant. In some cases, the plant may be lifted with a ball or mass of earth, 

 containing all or great part of its roots, by means of the trowel or transplanter {fig. 93.) ; 

 and in others, as in the case of large shrubs or trees, it may be necessary to cut the roots 

 at a certain distance from the plant, one year before removal, in order to furnish them 

 with young fibres, to enable them to support the change. In pots, less care is necessary, 

 as the roots and ball of earth containing them are, or may be, preserved entire. 



2082. Inserting the removed plant in the prepared soil, is performed by making an ex- 

 cavation suitable to the size of the plant, with the dibber, trowel, or spade, placing the 

 plant in it to the same depth as before its removal, and then covering its roots with earth 

 firmly, but not harshly or indiscriminately, pressed to it ; lastly, adding water. There 

 are various modes of insertion according to the age and kind of plant, tools employed, 

 object in view, &c. of which the following are the principal species and varieties. 



2083. Of spade planting there are a variety of different sorts, known by the names of 

 hole planting, trench planting, trenching-in planting, slit or crevice planting, holing-in 

 planting, drill planting, bedding-in planting, furrow planting, &e. All these modes are 

 almost peculiar to nursery gardening. 



2084. Hole planting is the principal method practised in the final planting of all sorts of trees and 

 shrubs in the open ground; and is performed by opening round holes for the reception of each 

 plant somewhat larger than its roots, then inserting the plant according to the general principles of 

 planting. (2077.) 



2085. Trench planting is practised in nurseries, in planting out seedlings of trees, and plants in rows, also 

 for box-edgings, small hedge-plants, asparagus, &c. It is performed by opening a long narrow trench with 

 a spade, making one side upright, placing the plants against the upright side, and turning in the earth 

 upon their roots. 



2086. Trenching-in planting is practised in light pliable-working ground, for planting young trees in 

 nurseries, thorn-hedges, &c. It is performed by digging a trench one spit wide, by a line, and planting 

 from one end of the trench towards the other, as the trench is being dug. Thus, the line being set and 

 the plants ready, with your spade begin at one end, and standing sideways to the line, throw out a spit 

 or two of earth, which forming a small aperture, another person being ready with the plants, let him 

 directly insert one in the opening, whilst the digger proceeds with the digging, and covers the roots of the 

 plants with the earth of the next spit. Another aperture being thereby also formed, place therein another 

 plant, and so on. 



£087. Another method of trenching-in planting sometimes used for planting certain roots, such as horse- 

 radish-sets, potatoes, &c. is performed by common trenching, placing a row of sets in each trench or fur- 

 row. The horse-radish should be planted in the bottom of the open trench, if not above twelve inches 

 deep, turning the earth of the next over them ; and the potatoe-sets placed about four or six inches deep, 

 and cover them also with the earth of the next trench. 



2088. Slit planting. This method is performed by making slits or crevices with a spade in the ground, 

 at particular distances, for the reception of small trees and shrub-plants. It is practised sometimes in the 

 nursery, in putting out rows of small plants, suckers, &c. from about a foot or eighteen inches or two feet 

 bigh, and that have but small roots : it is also sometimes practised where very large tracts of forest-trees 

 are to be planted by the most expeditious and cheapest mode of performance ; the following is the method : 

 — Aline is set or a mark made accordingly; then having a quantity of plants ready, for they must be 

 planted as you proceed in making the slits, let a man, having a good clean spade strike it into the ground 

 with its back close to the line or mark, taking it out again directly, so as to leave the slit open : he then 

 gives another stroke at right angles with the first ; then the person with the plants inserts one immediately 

 into the second-made crevice, bringing it up to the line or mark, and directly pressing the earth close to 

 the plant with his foot ; proceed in the same manner to insert another plant, and so on. A man and a boy, 

 by this method, will plant ten or fifteen hundred, or more, in a day. 



2089. Holing-in planting. This is sometimes used in the nursery in light loose ground; and some- 

 times in planting potatoes, &c. in pliable soils. The ground being previously digged or trenched, and a 

 line placed, proceed thus : — Let one man, with his spade, take out a small spit of earth, and in the hole so 

 formed let another person directly deposit a plant ; then let the digger take another spit at a little distance, 

 and turn the earth thereof into the first hole over the roots ; then placing directly another plant in this 

 second opening, let the digger cover it with the earth of a third, and so on. 



2090. Drill planting. This is by drawing drills with a hoe, from two to four or five 

 inches deep, for the reception of seeds and roots, and is a commodious method of planting 

 many sorts of large seeds, such as walnuts, chestnuts, &c. ; sometimes also broad beans, 

 but always kidneybeans and peas : likewise of planting many sorts of bulbous roots, 

 when to be deposited in beds by themselves. The drills for all of these purposes should 

 be drawn with a common hoe, two or three inches deep, though, for large kinds of bul- 

 bous roots, four or five inches deep will be requisite, and the seeds and roots should al- 

 ways be covered the depth of the drills. 



2091. Bedding-in jrtanting. This is frequently practised for planting the choicer kinds 

 of flowering buds, such as hyacinths, &c. ; also for larger seeds of trees ; as acorns, large 

 nuts, and other kinds of seeds, stones, and kernels, and is performed by drawing the earth 

 from off the tops of the beds, some inches in depth, in the manner of cvffing, then plant- 

 ing the seeds or roots, and covering them over with the earth, drawn off for that purpose. 



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