TRANSPLANTING. 



5 



the dry parching atmosphere, which must, in such 

 cases, surround the whole surface of the tree, greatly 

 exhausts it, while it is prevented from absorbing a 

 fresh supply of food from the soil, in consequence 

 of its roots being more or less shortened or dimin- 

 ished by the operation. If trees are found to grow 

 too luxuriantly, and to form only wood for years, 

 even after they are of sufficient size and age for the 

 production of fruit, the earth should be removed just 

 before the frost sets in, and a proportion of the 

 deepest growing roots cut off; thus checking its 

 luxuriousness, and rendering it more fruitful. 



The following excellent " Hints for Transplant- 

 ing" 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 cer- 

 tainly affected by good treatment as an animal. 

 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 without bend- 

 ing. Shorten and pare smoothly with a knife, any 



