653 



PLANTING AND PLANTATIONS. 



PLANTING. AND PLANTATIONS. 



554 





placing in the soil the roots of a plant which has been previously 

 removed ; and the preservation of the roots is the first thing to be 

 attended to. It should be kept in mind that the spoiigiolcs, or delicate 

 extremities of the fibres, are the parts by which the chief supply of 

 food from the earth is absorbed by the plant. Their tissue being 

 tender and almost naked, they are very susceptible of injuries from 

 mechanical action ; and being adapted for performing their functions 

 in a humid medium, they readily suH'er from being kept for any 

 length of time exposed to free air and drought. In taking up the 

 plants, therefore, the roots should be loosened in such a manner as to 

 receive the least possible violence in the operation. Plants in pots can 

 be shifted from one place to another without exhibiting symptoms of 

 deranged functions ; and if it were possible to preserve the spongioleg 

 of a large tree as entire as those of a plant in a pot, the same successful 

 result would follow. But as it is next to impossible to do this, we can 

 only attempt to preserve them as far as circumstances will permit. If 

 the tree be large, a trench should be opened beyond the extremities of 

 the roots, of sufficient width and depth to allow the process of under- 

 mining to be freely carried on. The roots should be gradually set at 

 liberty by a round-pronged fork, the prongs tapering so as to be easily 

 inserted, yet not by any means so sharp as to prick the roots. As the 

 fork is being used, the soil from among the roots will fall into the open 

 trench ; but as it accumulates there it must be cleared away, and at 

 the same time the portion of roota set at liberty will require to be 

 slightly tied together with pieces of matting, and, if necessary, sup- 

 ported by temporary stakes, or held to one side by an assistant, whilst 

 the planter proceeds in liberating others. If there be, as is frequently 

 the case, a tap-root extending to a much greater depth than the other 

 roots, and if the latter have been carefully preserved during the ope- 

 ration, the tap-root may be dispensed with, for it could only be raised 

 in a mutilated state, owing to the great solidity of the earth at such a 

 depth. 



Although it is very desirable to preserve the greatest possible quan- 

 tity of sound roots, yet all that are braised or lacerated should be 

 cleanly amputated up to the sound parts. Cross-roots are apt to gall 

 the others when they become large, and therefore the sooner they are 

 removed the better. When the plants are young, and in the course of 

 being occasionally removed in a nursing state, all irregularities in th 

 roots should ber corrected, which can then be done with comparatively 

 little injury, as the roots of young plants bear a greater proportion tx 

 the top than seems to be the case at a more advanced period of growth 

 and the loss of any of them is consequently felt less. In the early stage 

 of rearing trees, while the proportion of roots predominates, it may be 

 found advisable in various cases to shorten not only the tap-root, as 

 above mentioned, but also judiciously some of the other strong roots 

 in order that subdivisions of a more fibrous nature may be pro- 

 duced, and a number of rootlets substituted for large root-branches 

 Even in the case of Urge trees this principle has been acted upon foi 

 centuries, and latterly it has been strongly advocated and put in prac 

 tice for the purpose of producing immediate effect in park or landscape 

 scenery. A trench is cut out round the tree, and the roots shortenec 

 wherever they happen to traverse this trench, so as to leave it quite 

 clear. This being done, the trench is filled up, either with its own 

 excavated soil, or, in very particular cases, with fresh noil The tree 

 has still a sufficient number of undisturbed roots to keep it alive ; anc 

 in fact it ought not to be merely kept alive, but as many roots shoulc 

 be left as will ensure its continuing in a healthy though not a vigorous 

 state of growth. In the course of a year or two after this operation 

 baa been performed, a number of young roots will have been protruded 

 from the various amputations into the loosened soil of the trench ; and 

 partly from the possibility of preserving these roots, and partly from 

 the top becoming habituated to a more limited supply of food, the 

 tree feels comparatively little the change consequent on transplantation. 

 Roots may be produced of a proper description for planting by the 

 adoption of such means as the above, and if care be taken they will 

 suffer little from the operation of removal. Still they may be seriously 

 injured from exposure to air, and more especially to drying winds, 

 frost, and even to wet To be covered in the soil is the natural con- 

 dition of the roots of most vegetable productions, and therefore 

 endeavours should be made to place them in such a condition with the 

 least possible delay; or at all events, if circumstances render delay 

 unavoidable, such means should be adopted as will preserve them in a 

 state of moisture similar to that which they have in the soil. It is 

 however necessary to observe, that when the tops are closely packed up 

 and evaporation from them prevented, the roots should be kept rather 

 dry than otherwise ; for under such circumstances, damp is found to 

 be much more frequently destructive than a little dryness. 



Though the preparatory steps to planting, as regards roots and their 

 preservation, may be properly taken, yet, if the operation be not per- 

 formed at the proper season, success will not be complete It is true 

 that instances may be adduced of planting being done at the very 

 opposite season to that which is here recommended as the best but 

 such cases are only examples of what may be- done by extraordinary 

 care in adopting artificial means so as to imitate more natural circum- 

 stances. It is a well-known fact that plants are subject to a process of 

 evaporation from all the parts which are exposed to the atmosphere, 

 provided the latter is not in a state of saturation. The source from 

 whence this evaporation is supplied is the moisture of the soil, and the 



roots are the media by which it is collected and transmitted to the stem 

 branches, and leaves. If the expenditure be greater than the supply of 

 moisture the plant will begin to suffer ; if the disparity be great and 

 continued a degree of desiccation will be occasioned sufficient to 

 deprive the vegetable tissue of that moisture which constitutes the 

 medium of intercommunication between the different cells organi- 

 sation is destroyed ; the chain which connected it with vitality is 

 broken, and incapable of being re-united by any mechanical means 



A much greater amount of evaporation takes place from a given 

 surface u> some species than in others ; but the amount as regards 

 plants of the same species, all other circumstances being the same is 

 in proportion to the extent of surface which the respective individuals 

 possess. The leaves of a lime-tree may have a surface equal to thirty 

 times that of the stem, branches, and twigs which produce them and 

 consequently the demand on the roots for the supply of evaporation" 

 will be thirty times greater when in leaf than when the branches are 

 naked. Instances might be adduced in which this difference would 

 even be exceeded ; but if, on the contrary, it were found considerably 

 less, still there would be sufficient evidence of the impropriety of 

 moving plants when in leaf; and it may be here remarked, that young 

 leaves admit of the fluids being more rapidly evaporated than old 

 ones. 



The month of December is that in which the condition of the air 

 with regard to moisture approaches nearest to that of complete 

 saturation and next in this respect is January, which is also the 

 It might therefore be concluded that these months are the 

 best for planting, more especially as they are the most opposite in 

 character to June and July, which, from their being the hottest and 

 driest, are found to be the worst. But November is also moist and 

 although the temperature of the season has not then reached its 

 minimum, yet the foliage, accustomed to exercise its functions under 

 a summer heat, can no longer perform them under a reduction of 

 temperature, which, though not the lowest, is comparatively low as 

 regards summer productions. The leaves in consequence lose their 

 connection with the roots ; the earth still retains considerable warmth 

 and although the absence of leaves in deciduous trees, and perhaps the 

 inactivity of those of evergreens, may prevent the formation of wood 

 except in the most limited degree, yet the buds, whilst they are them- 

 selves increased in volume, maintain a corresponding action in the 

 root*, sufficient in many instances to form fresh spongioles before 

 winter, a process which is favoured by the soil being warmer than the 

 atmosphere. Should circumstances occur to prevent the actual pro- 

 trusion of cellular substance in the form of spongioles still an 

 accumulation of it will be taking place, ready to burst forth in spring 

 On this account therefore, although December, January, and February 

 are sufficiently moist, yet November, or as soon as the leaves have 

 fallen, is the preferable season for planting. There may be some 

 exceptions, as in the case of very wet soils, where the plants if not 

 firmly rooted, are liable to be thrown out during winter owing to 

 which spring planting would be more proper. But under ordinary 

 circumstances all deciduous trees will succeed best at the period above 

 indicated. Such species as push forth their buds early ou-ht 

 certainly to be planted in autumn. Many of the coniferous tribe will 

 succeed well if planted soon after they have made their summer's 

 growth: the earth is then warm, and the plants make roots very 

 promptly. Some species of this interesting order of trees require to be 

 planted either before winter, so as to have sufficient time to strike 

 root, or immediately before their buds begin to burst in the spring 

 These species of trees are injuriously affected by exposure to dry cold 

 winds, even when their roots are undisturbed by removal; but if 

 planted at a season when several months must elapse before any perfect 

 action can commence, the tops are apt to become dried up in the 

 interval It appears that if their juices become inspissated to a certain 

 extent, they never again become liquified, probably owing to their 

 resmous nature. 



The watering of newly planted trees ought to be attended to. The 

 supply in the first instance should be copious, in order to wash the 

 earth into the cavities among the roots. Some err in keeping the roots 

 of newly planted trees constantly soaked with water, as if they wero 

 those of bog-plants, for which only such treatment is proper In 

 watering, consideration should always be had to the nature of the 

 plant, to which, if it delight in dry soils, no more water should be 

 tificially applied than is necessary to moisten it as much as the soil 

 n which the species grows naturally, and at a time when shoots and 

 eaves are abundantly produced. When watering is performed it 

 should be done thoroughly, so as to reach the lowest portions of the 

 root. In the case of plants being much dried from long carriage or 

 other causes, the supply on first planting should be very moderate. 

 The tops however should be frequently syringed, in order to moisten 

 he bark and prevent its absorbing the organisable matter which 

 descends towards the root by the inner bark. The flow must be 

 xtremely weak under such circumstances ; but if it can be preserved 

 rom the effects of drought till it reach the extremities of the roots, 

 he formation of fresh spongioles will immediately commence, and the 

 ree may then be pronounced out of danger. 



The manner of performing the operation of planting may be reduced 

 one general principle, that of placing the roots in the soil so as to 

 nutate as closely as (possible the position which they occupy when 



