140 THE NTJJRSERY. 



3d. How to take up. Seedlings are very easily taken 

 up, in two ways, without in the least mutilating the 

 roots. If one person does the work, he should begin at 

 one end of the row, and, with a common spade, or, which 

 is better, one with three strong prongs, a foot long and 

 an inch and a half wide, dig under the plants without 

 cutting the roots, and, as fast a^ they are loosened below, 

 pull them out ; and in this way proceed. Another and 

 quicker way is, for two men to loesen the plants, each on 

 opposite sides of the row, inserting a forked spade as 

 deep as the roots go, while another follows and pulls 

 out the plants. When the ground is quite soft, this way 

 answers very well ; but if dry, or hard, the first is better. 



In nurseries where very large quantities of seedlings 

 are to be taken up at once, a "-Tree-digger " (sec Imple- 

 ments), drawn by horses, is used. The "digger" passes 

 under the row at a depth sufficient to avoid injury to the 

 roots, and loosens them so that they can be readily pulled, 

 cither the whole, or a part. 



Layers require more care and caution. A trench must 

 be opened all around the layered branches, deep enough 

 to go quite below the roots, and in an oblique manner, so 

 as to undermine them. "Where the branches are pegged 

 down, the pegs must be taken out, and the layer is then 

 separated between the rooted part and the stool, and 

 gently taken from the earth. Especial care must be taken 

 not to split those that have been layered by incision ; 

 their removal must be done slowly and cautiously. 



Mound Layers are easier separated ; the earth is simply 

 removed from the base of the rooted branches, and they 

 are then separated within an inch or BO of the stem. 



Layered Branches. When the young rooted plants are 

 produced from the eyes of a buried shoot or branch, the 

 pegs are removed, the whole branch dug under, and com- 

 pletely loosened and separated from the stool ; the young 

 plants are then taken off, one by one, close to their base. 



