322 TRANSPLANTING AND PLANTING. 



sive, is satisfactorily proved by the tables drawn up by Mr. Robert Thomp- 

 son, of the Horticultural Society's Garden, and published in their Transac- 

 tions; of one of which an abstract will be found in our Appendix. 



718. The drying of the roots of evergreens Mr. McNab considers to be one 

 of the greatest injuries which they can suffer. If they are allowed to dry 

 when out of the ground in spring, he says, it is scarcely possible to prevent 

 their suffering considerably, and showing this injury for a long period after 

 they are planted. u Half a day's sun in spring or autumn will do more 

 harm immediately after planting, than a whole week's sun, from morning 

 to night, in the middle of winter. At that season we can always plant (ex- 

 cept during severe frosts, or in a very drying wind) with perfect certainty 

 of success ; whereas, in spring or autumn, there is a great risk of failure, ex- 

 cept we can get a few dull days, or moist days after planting ; and this is 

 quite uncertain." (Hints, &JG., p. 18.) It is commonly thought that ever- 

 greens planted in winter can push out no roots till spring ; but Mr. McNab 

 finds the contrary to be the case. " During the winter we often have inter- 

 vals of a week or a fortnight, and even sometimes three weeks, of mild 

 weather ; and in such weather the roots of many evergreens do grow. Let 

 any person that has a few duplicates of different kinds of evergreens to spare, 

 plant or lay them in by the heels, and soak them well with water, any 

 time during the period I have recommended as the best for planting ; let 

 him take these same plants up again in the end of March, April, or begin- 

 ning of May following, and he will find they will have made a considerable 

 number of fresh roots between the time he put them in, and the time he 

 took them up. Every nurseryman knows, that of the cuttings of some 

 sorts of evergreens put into the ground, as is usual, in September or Octo- 

 ber, many will have made roots during the winter, as will easily be seen by 

 taking some of them up in March, April, or May." (Hints, c<yc., p. 19.) 



7li). In planting evergreens, " whether in a dull day, a wet day, or a 

 dry day, it is very necessary to keep in view the expediency of keeping 

 the plants for as short a time out of the ground as possible ; if only a few 

 minutes, so much the better. In all seasons, situations, and soils, the 

 plants should be well soaked with water, as soon as the earth is put about 

 the roots. As soon as the plant has been put into its place, the earth 

 should be filled in, leaving a sufficient hollow round the stem, and as far 

 out as the roots extend, to hold water, which should then be poured in, 

 in sufficient quantity to soak the ground dow r n to the lowest part of the 

 roots ; in short, the whole should be made like a kind of puddle. By this 

 practice, which is particularly necessary in spring and autumn-planting, 

 the earth is carried down by the water, and every crevice among the roots 

 is filled. Care must always be taken to have as much earth above the roots 

 of the plants as will prevent them from being exposed when the water has 

 subsided." Mr. McNab finds " the best plan is to take an old birch broom, 

 or anything similar, and laying it down near to the root, to cause the water 

 to be poured upon it ; this breaks the fall of the water, and prevents the 

 roots from being washed bare of such earth as may adhere to them ; in this 

 way time is saved, for the water may be poured out in a full stream from a 

 pail, a water-pot, or even from a spout or pipe, in the water-cart, or barrel, 

 where the situation is such that this can be brought up to the plant. After 

 the first watering has dried up, the earth should be levelled round the stem 

 of the plant, and as far out as the water has been put on, but not trodden ; 



