THE TIME OF TLANTING TREES, WITH A FEW 

 CAUTIONARY DIRECTIONS. 



For evergreen and tender shrubs — indeed, for almost any kind of shrubs — 

 autumn and spring are the best times for planting. In autumn, the natural 

 state of the young wood will, perhaps, be the best guide to the planter in 

 commencing his operations, say about the end of September or the beginning 

 of October. The exact time, of course, will vary according to the season 

 and different localities, whether the young wood is or is not matured, or the 

 weather is hot and droughty ; as, even with daily waterings, the shrubs would 

 not only be liable to great injury by the scorching sun and winds, but the 

 ground itself would also be hard and dry, and thereby render their removal 

 from the nursery more difficult and unsafe. However, autumn planting 

 should not be too long deferred, since the only advantage gained by it is that 

 the plants have sufficient time to form new fibres before winter. If, therefore, 

 they are not planted soon enough to make sufficient progress before that time, 

 spring planting is the best. 



Winter planting (except for forest trees) I consider the worst season of 

 any. Of course, extensive forest planting will not be carried out without 

 taking the winter months with others. In such cases, the plants, being hardy 

 and generally small, are less liable to be rocked about and injured by 

 boisterous winds. Moreover, in extensive plantings, there is a less degree of 

 danger in the gloomy months in moving the plants from place to place, and 

 in the general operations, than in bright droughty weather. Therefore, under 

 such circumstances, we may consider from the fall of the leaf to the end of 

 February the best season for extensive forest planting. 



As a general rule, I prefer spring planting for ornamental trees and 

 shrubs, to every other period; for those planted in the autumn have to 

 contend with, and to bear the pressure and rocking of, boisterous gales, 



