Cultural Suggestions 165 



logged, and it cannot keep anything like an even temperature, 

 with a blizzard one day. a thunder storm the next, and sun only 

 half shining when it does shine — or else blazing forth like mid- 

 summer for a few hours. 



So everything is unfavorable for a month or so, if early plant- 

 ing is made, to a plant's establishing itself — that is, to its making 

 new roots to take hold upon its new home. And if planting is 

 delayed until late spnng, sudden scorching heat may come and 

 bum things up before the new roots have reached sufficient 

 development to supply the needs of the fast-growing leaves. 



In the autumn, however, things are getting ready to goto 

 sleep anyway. Activity is quieting down. The next year's 

 buds are formed and tucked away, under the leaf stalks perhaps, 

 or wherever they belong, and the season's growth is ripening 

 from green succulence into tough wood. And the ground is 

 warm from the summer — warm away down deep, and mellow. 

 This is just the condition most favorable to the growth of new 

 roots, and plants transplanted at this season are in a state to 

 give all their energies to root growth. There is no call upon 

 them from above 



The best time therefore to transplant is about a month before 

 they are actually asleep — or dormant — and that varies, of course, 

 with different latitudes. A month of activity gives them time 

 to take hold and then they fall asleep, to wake up in the spring 

 ready to go at their work without a setback. 



Of course it is not always easy nor possible to time transplant- 

 ing with such nicety as this, and it is not indeed necessary. 

 This is simply the ideal which the planter has in mind. Trees 

 and shrubs may usually be moved with success at any time when 

 the ground will allow planting, during the dormant season. 

 Large deciduous trees are generally moved in the late autumn, 



