THE WOOD. 59 



tend at least to an equal distance from the trunk 

 under ground that the branches do above. 



You know, I dare say, that it is a very difficult 

 thing to make a large tree grow, after having been 

 transplanted. Now, what is the reason of this? 

 Old trees, you may think, like old people, are 

 attached to places where they have spent their 

 early years ; they are accustomed to a certain soil, 

 and have not vigour enough to acquire new habits. 

 This is very romantic and pretty, but I doubt 

 much whether it be true. At all events, I can 

 give you a reason, which, if it be not poetical, is at 

 least so far satisfactory that it is founded on 

 facts. When an attempt is made at transplanting 

 a tree which has attained a considerable size, no 

 great difficulty is encountered in removing the 

 large roots ; they are strong and tough, and will 

 stand a great deal of rough treatment ; but when 

 you come to the delicate fibrous roots, which 

 alone supply the tree with nourishment, they are 

 so intertangled with each other, they have so firm 

 a hold on the earth, and are withal so fragile, 

 that although you may succeed in removing the 

 tree, you leave behind that which should supply- 

 it with food, and consequently when replanted it 

 is starved to death before it can send out new 

 roots. To prove that this is the reason, I may 

 mention an experiment, which has been repeat- 

 edly tried with great success. It is desired to 

 transplant a large tree from a wood to an orna- 

 mental piece of ground in a park, or garden. 

 Instead of attempting the impossible task of saving 

 unhurt the fibrous roots, which extend to a great 

 distance on all sides, the plan adopted is, to dig a 

 tolerably deep trench round the trunk, at the dis- 



