HORTICULTUKAL PROCESSES. 65 



If tlie ground be drj, or if the roots have been much exposed 

 to the air since the tree was taken up, soak the roots and the 

 lower part of the trunk in water twelve or twenty-four hours. 

 Cut off all bruised and broken ends of roots smoothly with a 

 knife, and shorten-in the longest, so that the clump of roots 

 may have a somewhat circular form. In cutting a root, always 

 enter the knife upon the under side, and bring it out, with a. 

 slope, to the upper side, so that the fibers which may shoot oat 

 from the edges of the cut shall strike downward into the 

 ground, instead of upward, as they would were the cut made 

 as it commonly is. 



TTith good, rich soil fill up under, among, around, and above 

 the roots, straightening them out with the fingers, and placing 

 them in a fan-like and natural position, being very cautious not 

 to leave any, even small, hollow places among them. If the 

 root is one-sided, make the most you can of the weaker part. 

 At this stage of the work, if you have patience, it is an ex- 

 cellent plan to make a circular dam around the edge of 

 the hole, and keep it full of water for a half hour or more. 

 In setting evergreens, this, by some, is deemed almost indis- 

 pensable, unless the ground is quite moist. Next, put in a little 

 more earth, pressing it around the tree with the foot. After 

 this, throw on an inch or so of loose earth, and the work is 

 done. 



Another mode of filling up around the trees, called mudding- 

 in, has proved very successful. Make the circular dam around 

 the tree first, or as soon as it is needed, then let one person 

 slowly sift the soil into the hole upon the roots, while another 

 constantly pours in water, thus keeping the earth in a thin, 

 muddy state. 



Very large trees are most successfully transplanted by re- 

 moving them with large baUs of frozen earth in mid-winter, 

 and placing them at once in a hole previously prepared to 

 receive them.* 



* See Appendix, C. 



