REMOVING AND TRANSPLANTING TREES. 91 



place a layer of them near the tree, which will not only 

 secure the tree from moving to and fro, but will often pre- 

 vent teams and implements from passing over small trees. 



Before any tree is transplanted, the end of every mutilated 

 root should be cut off smoothly. If roots have been bruised 

 badly, it is always better to cut off every thing beyond the 

 bruise. 



Staking Fruit-trees. The accompanying illustration (Fig. 

 47) represents the correct way of staking trees. When a 

 stake is driven down near a small tree, H often obstructs the 

 growth of the roots ; and if a large stake 

 is driven after a tree is transplanted, a 

 root is sometimes badly mutilated. But 

 if stakes are set as represented by the fig- 

 ure, they will not interfere with the roots. 

 Fruit-trees should never be staked for 

 the purpose of holding a tall and slender 

 tree erect. When a young tree has run 

 up so slim that the wind often bends the 

 top half way to the ground, the true way 

 is to cut the central stem off, say a foot 

 or more, for the purpose of inducing the 

 tree to grow more stocky and bushy. 

 (See Pruning.} When a hundred or 

 more of such stakes are needed, let a log of some durable 

 timber be sawed into stuff, say two inches square. Then let 

 the pieces be thoroughly seasoned before they are driven into 

 the ground, and let the lower ends be well smeared with coal- 

 tar. A hole should be made with a crowbar, the stake driven 

 in firmly, the upper end sawed off in a horizontal direction, 

 and a piece of board nailed to the top of the stake. Each 

 board should have a hole bored through it near one end ; 

 and when it is to be put on, let it be split in two through 

 the hole, and the pieces nailed to the top of the stake. Pieces 



