TRANSPLANTING CITRUS TREES 369 



proper receptacles being at hand so that the roots are not exposed by 

 carrying them any distance. In taking up, all roots bruised by the 

 spade are cleanly cut with a sharp knife. The tap-root is cut away at 

 a depth of a foot or so from the surface. This use of wet straw, if 

 faithfully carried out, will answer well in taking trees short distances 

 for planting, but the use of a puddle on the roots before packing in 

 damp straw gives additional assurance of success. Large shipments 

 of trees have been made by packing roots in damp moss in specially 

 made chests holding 100 to 125 trees. These chests have top and 

 one side on hinges so that the roots can be thoroughly bedded in the 

 moss as filling proceeds. The hinged side and top are then brought 

 together and closed with hasp and staple. 



Puddling the Roots. This method is also used for deciduous 

 fruit trees, as mentioned in Chapter XL It consists in having a thin 

 puddling of loamy soil with preponderance of sand rather than of clay, 

 into which the roots are dipped as soon as the tree is lifted from the 

 nursery. This mixture, which should be about as thick as cream, may 

 be made in a hole in the ground', or, better still, in a box or cask large 

 enough to allow complete plunging of the roots. As soon as dipped, 

 and with all the mud which will adhere, the roots are packed in wet 

 straw. If the trees are to remain thus packed for any length of time 

 the greatest care must be observed to keep the straw damp, and water 

 must be applied gently to avoid washing the puddle from the roots. 



Sacking the Roots with a Ball of Earth. This is a very satis- 

 factory way to move orange trees, and if it is well done, the tree does 

 not wilt, and may be moved long distances and handled more freely 

 than the puddled roots. To ball and sack trees, dig a trench along one 

 side of the row about six inches away from the trees, and about a foot 

 and a half deep. By careful digging under each tree from this trench 

 the tap-root is reached, and severed by a cut with a sharp spade. The 

 side roots are also cut by thrusting the spade down on the three sides 

 not opened by the trench. The top earth is carefully removed nearly 

 down to the highest lateral roots, and after being sure that the roots 

 are severed all around, the tree is lifted out with the ball of earth which 

 encloses the remaining roots. This ball is rounded off carefully and 

 then placed on a half of a grain sack or other piece of burlap, the 

 corners of which are drawn up and tied around the stem of the tree 

 with baling rope. It is also an additional surety of safety to allow the 

 baling rope to run under and around the ball to aid in holding it 

 together. The balled trees must be carefully handled so as not to 

 break the ball which would result in tearing to pieces, as well as expos- 

 ing, the roots. 



The manner of handling the trees depends somewhat upon the 

 character of the nursery soil. Successful balling of course requires a 

 certain amount of adhesiveness in the soil. 



One can not be too careful in the handling of orange trees. Though 

 they will stand harsh treatment when in permanent place, they must be 

 most carefully transplanted. Lifting from the nursery when the soil 



