TRANSPLANTING. 5 



The following excellent " Hints for Trans- 

 planting " are from the Nursery Catalogue of A. 

 J. Downing, of Newburgh : 



" 1. Many persons plant a tree as they would a 

 post ! The novice in planting must consider that 

 a tree is a living, nicely organized production, as 

 certainly affected by good treatment as an ani- 

 mal. Many an orchard of trees, rudely thrust 

 into the ground, struggles half a dozen years 

 against the adverse condition, before it recovers. 



" 2. In planting an orchard, let the ground be 

 made mellow by repeated ploughing. For a tree 

 of moderate size, the hole should be dug three 

 feet in diameter, and twelve to twenty inches deep. 

 Turn over the soil several times, and, if not rich, 

 mix thoroughly with it some compost, or well- 

 rotted manure. In every instance the hole must 

 be large enough to admit all the roots easily with- 

 out bending. Shorten and pare smoothly with a 

 knife any bruised or broken roots. Hold the tree 

 upright, while another person, making the earth 

 fine, gradually distributes it among the roots. 

 Shake the tree gently while this filling is going on. 

 The main secret lies in carefully filling in the 

 mould, so that every root may meet the soil ; and, 

 to secure this, let the operator, with his hand, 

 spread out the small roots, and fill in the earth 

 nicely around every one. Nine tenths of the 

 deaths by transplanting arise from the hollows 

 left among the roots of trees, by a rapid and care- 

 less mode of shoveling the earth among the roots. 



" 3. When the hole is two thirds filled, pour in 



a pail or two of water. This will settle the soil, 



and fill up any little vacuities that may remain. 



Wait until the water has sunk away, and then fill 



1* 



