106 THE APPLE CULTURIST. 



ing the bark. One end of the pole is supported by a strong 

 bench three feet high, standing on planks to prevent its 

 sinking into the ground. With the tackles hitched to the 

 other end of the pole, the tree is lifted high enough to allow 

 a sleigh, or stone-boat, to be backed under it, to receive the 

 tree with the ball of earth. 



When trees were to be removed, our practice was to dig 

 a trench about them, about eight or ten inches deep, or 

 more, according to the size of the tree and extent of the 

 roots. This was done one year before the trees were re- 

 moved, so that the roots in the ball of earth might send out 

 a large number of minute fibres, which would not be there 

 if the trees were removed as soon as the roots were severed 

 by cutting the trench. 



The next thing of first importance is, to have the holes 

 dug before a tree is brought to the ground. Even if they 

 are filled with snow, it can readily be removed when trees 

 are ready to be placed in them. Holes should always be 

 dug sufficiently large to receive the ball of earth without 

 resting on the edges ; and care should be exercised to have 

 the trees no deeper in the soil than they naturally grew. 

 Trees of considerable height should be stayed up with four 

 guy-wires, to prevent the winds from blowing them over. 

 These guy wires should be fastened to the tree with small 

 staples driven into the tree, and to stakes driven into the 

 ground. When trees are small, we may dispense with the 

 pole and bench, and hitch the tackle directly to the tree; 

 and in unloading trees, we seldom used the pole and bench. 



We once removed several evergreens from the forest, 

 from twenty to thirty feet in height, and four to six inches 

 in diameter; and those which were unloaded directly into 

 holes already prepared are now alive; while all of those 

 which were unloaded on the north side of the house, and 

 the roots covered with moss and straw until the ground 



