REMOVING LARGE TREES. 



This is a subject well worthy of attention, and especially from those who are 

 making improvements, where present effect is expedient, and where the 

 change in the position of a favourite tree or shrub is necessary. I remember 

 that attempts of this kind used to be made upwards of fifty years ago, with 

 trees from thirty to forty feet in height; and there are accounts of the 

 practice even before that time, but certainly with much less success and 

 facility than subsequently. Within the last forty years a good deal has been 

 written on this subject, proving its practicability. Sir H. Stewart, fifteen or 

 twenty years ago, brought before the public a very elaborate work, affording 

 useful information on the subject. Many other papers have also appeared in 

 various periodicals, but not of equal value in point of general information. 

 However, as some of my readers may not possess the requisite knowledge, it 

 may be proper to lay down a few useful, though brief, directions for the 



process. 



First, then, we are to make choice of trees or shrubs not already crowded 

 amongst others ; not only because they are less tender and better formed, but 

 because they can be more easily taken up with good roots, and more easily 

 removed ; our great aim being to secure to them in their removal a sufficient 

 extent of good fibrous roots. This is best obtained by first throwing out a 

 trench round the tree, about twelve or fifteen inches wide, and sufficiently 

 deep to enable us to cut through the principal roots at a proper distance from 

 the trunk, and undermine and loosen the soil between the roots with a 

 pickaxe, so as in the end to leave the tree more than half taken up. Perhaps 

 a tree with a bole ten or twelve inches in diameter near to its base, should 

 have the trench made five to six feet from the trunk all round ; that is, to 

 leave roots which would measure across, from outside to outside, about ten or 

 twelve feet, or even more. If this is done in winter or early in spring, and 

 the trench is then covered in again slightly, the tree will form numerous 



