TRANSPLANTING AND PLANTING. 275 



mon to all plants, their powers of adaptation to altered conditions, and 

 their ability to replace portions of their structure that have been 

 removed by accident or design. When plants are in a state of active 

 growth, a constant perspiration is taking place from their leaves, which 

 is supplied by the absorption of the moisture in the soil by the spon- 

 gioles of the roots ; and when this supply through the roots is cut off 

 by the destruction of the spongioles, the leaves wither, and the plant 

 dies or becomes greatly injured; but there is a period in the growth of 

 every plant, in which the leaves either drop off, as in deciduous plants, 

 or cease to be in a state of activity, as in evergreens ; and it is chiefly 

 when in this state that the operation of transplanting can be success- 

 fully undertaken with large plants. Even when trees are without 

 their leaves, perspiration is going on to a certain extent through the 

 bark, and absorption to supply this waste must necessarily be taking 

 place at the same time through the spongioles ; for though the functions 

 of most plants are annually in a dormant state, yet they are never 

 wholly inactive ; and hence, even in transplanting trees without their 

 leaves, the effects of more perspiration by the bark than the roots can 

 supply must be guarded against. This is more especially the case in 

 transplanting evergreens, in which the functions of the leaves, and, con- 

 sequently, of the spongioles, are carried on through the winter. As 

 the perspiration both of the leaves and bark is greatly dependent on 

 the moisture or dryness of the atmosphere, it follows that on the state 

 of the weather at and after transplanting, a good deal of the success of 

 the operation must depend ; and as the kind of weather bears close 

 relation to the season of the year, that also requires to be taken into 

 consideration. All plants, considered with reference to transplanting, 

 may be divided into three classes viz., those which can be transplanted 

 in a state of active growth, and with their leaves on, which are chiefly 

 seedlings, and other small plants, and plants in pots ; those which can 

 only be transplanted with success when without their leaves, as deciduous 

 trees, and herbaceous perennials of more than a year's growth ; and 

 those which are transplanted when their leaves are on, but in a com- 

 paratively dormant state, as evergreens. 



Seedlings and such small plants as can be taken up with all their 

 fibres and spongioles uninjured, and planted immediately, may be 

 removed at any season which admits of the progress of vegetation ; 

 though their success will be most certain when the atmosphere is warm 

 and cloudy, and the soil moist rather than dry. The plants should be 

 raised out of the soil with a spade, trowel, or flat-pointed stick, kept 

 out of the earth as short a period as possible, firmly planted, and if 

 the ground is dry, instantly watered overhead. Tender plants, when 

 thus transplanted, are covered with a hand-glass or frame, to preserve 

 a moist atmosphere around them ; or if in pots, they are plunged into 

 a hotbed for the same purpose, and also to stimulate their roots. The 

 hardier annuals, on the other hand, such as seedlings of the cabbage 

 tribe, may be transplanted with less care, since when they flag or fade, 

 the.r leaves soon recover again, in consequence of fresh spongioles being 

 emitted by the main or tap root. During moist weather, or where 



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