179 



small fibres, which will, with care, provide for a safe removal by the next 

 planting season. Probably the least labour would be to cover the trench or 

 excavation with stubble, litter, or straw : I have no doubt that the fibres 

 would form under such a covering. A tree of the same magnitude, removed 

 without this preparation, would require to be taken up with a greater extent 

 of roots, in order to secure to it a sufficiency of those fibres to imbibe the 

 elements adapted to produce health and growth. 



Trees may be transplanted from the fall of the leaf till the beginning of 

 spring ; and it will be necessary to make the proposed receptacles for them 

 deep enough to allow the roots, when planted, to be a few inches lower than 

 when in their former locality. Previous to planting the tree, the pit should 

 be trenched two or three spade-depths ; then, at a proper depth, a bed of fine 

 loose broken soil should be laid all over the hole, to receive the first pushings 

 of the fibres, and the pit should be considerably wider than the roots may 

 seem to require, to allow plenty of loose earth for the young roots to penetrate 

 in and lay hold freely. Trees of considerable size will need a large machine, 

 (fig. AO), the wheels of which should be from eight to ten feet in diameter. 

 It should have also a strong axle-tree, 

 and a long pole sufficiently strong to 

 lift up the tree from its bed, and bear 

 it to its new destination. In trans- 

 porting a tree, these wheels must be 

 placed as near to the root as possible. 

 Then, after fastening the pole and tree 

 together, while it is perpendicular, 

 another cord should be fastened to the 

 end of the pole, by which the tree will 

 be drawn prostrate. This being done, 

 horses should be yoked to the machine 

 on the root side of the tree, in order 

 to remove it to its new destination. 

 While the tree is in this position, if 

 the top is considerably too heavy or 



large for the roots to support, a branch here and there may be taken away ; 

 but by no means more than would preserve, to all appearance, its original 



a a 2 



Figure 40. 



