154 TREES AND SHRUBS 



up over the rollers on the machine and fastened, and 

 then by levers the ropes are rolled up, swinging the 

 plant up cleanly and with a good ball of soil. Before 

 putting the ropes under, however, a stout piece of 

 canvas or mat should be tied round the ball with a 

 couple of cords, between which and the canvas seven 

 or eight pieces of narrow flat board should be fixed 

 to prevent the cords from cutting the ball. The rear 

 part of the machine is made to be taken out so that 

 it can be pushed right over a plant, and it should 

 be run on planks on soft ground. 



With the large transplanting machine a ball of soil 

 of almost any size can be taken, but the method of 

 preparing it is somewhat different. It should be 

 made nearly square, being rather longer than it is 

 broad. When the proper depth has been reached 

 make a hole about 2 feet wide under the centre of 

 the ball, and running entirely through the longer 

 way of it. Through this hole one, or even two, 

 broad planks 3 inches thick should be passed. On 

 each end of these, where they project beyond the 

 ball, a stout plank is laid on edge, and two others 

 placed lengthwise to fit above the first two. These 

 planks should all be cut to fit tightly into each other. 

 If necessary, owing to the depth of the ball, another 

 tier of planks should be placed above the first to 

 insure stability. The machine is then placed over 

 the plant, and the whole, by means of chains and 

 levers, is swung up off the ground, and then ready to 

 be taken anywhere. This machine, however, should 

 only be used by those who have had experience with 



