46 THE BOOK OF TOPIARY 



extent reduced, and results obtained which should be 

 almost, if not quite as satisfactory. The remaining soil 

 left in the beds, no matter how poor it may be, can soon 

 be made rich enough for either herbaceous or bedding 

 plants by a liberal use of manure. 



When the beds have been prepared for the reception 

 of the trees, planting should be at once proceeded with, 

 provided, of course, that the planting season be at hand. 

 Like all other forms of tree-planting, it should be done 

 as soon as possible after the proper time arrives ; or, to 

 be more explicit, from the middle of October to the 

 middle of November. 



Although the work of lifting and transplanting yew 

 trees and box can be carried on with perfect safety up 

 to the end of the year or even up to the end of January, 

 the earlier season is undoubtedly the better. The soil 

 has then more chance to get settled about the roots 

 before the advent of hard weather. I have seen yew 

 trees lifted and transplanted even in June, but do not 

 consider it to be by any means a suitable time for the 

 work, and it is not a practice to be recommended. If 

 left so late in the year as June, constant attention must 

 be paid to watering, else the result will be disastrous. 



If the trees have been growing for a few years in a 

 reserve nursery-garden close at hand, they can be lifted 

 and replanted without undue exposure to the open air 

 or drying winds ; but if they have to be brought from 

 afar, and have had to undergo a long railway journey, 

 they are almost certain to be found on arrival to be dry 

 at the roots. In this case, they should be at once un- 

 packed and submerged in a tank of water for a few hours, 

 and then heeled into the ground as near as possible to 

 the place where planting is to be carried on, and after- 

 wards lifted and replanted as required. 



No rank manure of any kind should be used either 

 mixed with the soil, or applied to the roots of the trees, 



