PLANTING. 75 



root system, with a temporary interruption of the 

 growth. These disadvantages can, by special care, be 

 reduced to a minimum, so that they affect the further 

 development of the plant only to a small extent. As 

 long as the root system is completely imbedded in a ball 

 of earth, transplanting can be done at any time of the 

 year, provided the soil is in a fit condition (neither frozen, 

 nor too wet or dry). Again, plants, the roots of which 

 are not imbedded in a ball of earth, can similarly be 

 transplanted with success, provided the operation is per- 

 formed with care ; but as this involves extra expense, 

 it is difficult to ensure in the case of large operations ; 

 hence the most favourable season should always be 

 chosen for sylvicultural planting. 



The most favourable season differs according to the 

 character of the locality. In temperate Europe, summer 

 should be avoided, because at that time the plant is in 

 full assimilating activity, and most sensitive to a change 

 of conditions, especially to drought. There remains 

 then the period from autumn to spring. Planting may 

 be done at any time throughout that period, provided 

 the weather be sufficiently favourable ; at the same time 

 mid- winter is generally the least favourable part of this 

 period, as frost may be expected, so that practically the 

 choice lies between autumn and spring. Each of these 

 two seasons has its advantages and drawbacks, and the 

 question whether the one or other is more favourable 

 has been much debated. 



In the case of autumn-planting any rootlets which 

 have been injured during the operation may be replaced 

 by the ensuing spring, and the loosened earth settles 

 down again during winter. On the other hand, the 

 plants are likely to suffer from severe frost in their new 



