Transplanting. 63 



ing the furrows occasionally towards the rows, the raised surface 

 will be maintained, and a furrow left between for drainage. 



Watering. A very common error is the belief that trees need 

 frequent watering before they are in leaf. Deluging the roots while 

 in a partially dormant state, is as hurtful to trees as to green-house 

 plants, and a continued repetition of it is almost certain death. 

 When a plant is in a state of rapid vegetation, large quantities of 

 moisture are drawn up by the leaves and thrown off; but while the 

 buds are unexpanded, the amount consumed is very small. Fruit- 

 trees sometimes remain with fresh and green branches, but with 

 unswollen buds, till midsummer. Instead of watering such at the 

 roots, let the tops be wet daily at evening, and it will in nearly all 

 cases bring them into active growth. When the tree is much 

 shrivelled, wrapping it loosely in straw, or better, in moss, and 

 keeping the whole in a damp state, will in most cases restore it. 



After the leaves are expanded, a more copious application of 

 water becomes useful ; but it should never be performed, as so fre- 

 quently done, by flooding the tree at one time and allowing it to dry 

 at another ; or by pouring the water on the surface, which it hard- 

 ens, and never reaches the roots. Keeping the soil finely pulverized, 

 and if necessary, with an additional shading of hay or straw thickly 

 spread over the surface, will preserve a sufficient and uniform 

 degree of moisture. 



The following sucessful treatment in transplanting, in cases that 

 appeared almost hopeless, was practised by the late S. G. Perkins, 

 of Boston : 



" Some ten years ago I imported from Paris two hundred and ten 

 pear-trees on quince-stocks, whose roots, on their arrival, I found 

 to be entirely black and dead. I shaved off with a drawing-knife all 

 the roots down to the stump. These I planted in trenches, tying 

 them to crossbars to keep them firm, and then filled up the trench 

 with good soil. The heads and bodies of these trees were regularly 

 washed in dry weather until they began to sprout, which most of 

 them did in abundance during the summer, and I finally saved out 

 of the whole number one hundred and seventy-four, which became 

 as well rooted and as good trees as any in my garden. 



" This has happened more than once. Three or four years ago I 

 imported, among other trees, twenty plum-trees, from six to seven 

 feet high, the heads of which had been budded the previous year in 

 France. These buds had grown from nine to twelve inches long, 

 and were perfectly fresh when they arrived ; but the roots, on exa- 

 mination, were found entirely dead. Two of these I gave away 



