TRANSPLANTING AND PLANTING. 



323 



if the plants are large, a second watering is sometimes necessary ; but in 

 ordinary-sized plants, one watering is quite sufficient ; and after remaining 

 twenty-four hours, more or less, according to the nature of the soil, the 

 earth about the stem, and over the roots, should be trodden as firm as pos- 

 sible ; and, after treading, should be dressed with a rake. Where this is 

 practised, and the planting done in winter, in cloudy weather, there is 

 scarcely a chance of any dry weather afterwards injuring them; but if this 

 method, or something similar, is not practised, there will be a great risk of 

 failure every year, in planting evergreens, particularly when they are 

 planted at the usual times recommended ; that is, in spring or autumn." 

 Mr. McNab recommends " always to water evergreens when planted, whe- 

 ther the work be done in wet weather, dull weather, or dry ; or whether 

 the situation in which they are planted is wet or dry, sheltered or exposed ; 

 because the watering, in the manner recommended, fills up the holes that 

 may be in the earth about the roots, and consolidates the whole mass much 

 better than treading could do." In tenacious soils, treading is positively 

 injurious ; and in no case should the soil be rendered more compact than 

 it is found to be in ground that has been a few weeks trenched. 



720. Transplanting Evergreens with balls. In transplanting evergreens it 

 is desirable to leave as much earth about the roots as possible ; but when 

 treated in the way recommended, the greater part of the earth that may be 

 about the roots is of importance, rather in preserving them from injury dur- 

 ing the operation, than for any value it may have after the plant has been 

 put into the ground. This is, however, speaking of ordinary-sized plants, 

 that is, from one to two and a half, or three feet high ; if much larger than 

 this, Mr. McNab " never could move them with success, without keeping a 

 large ball of earth about their roots, and keeping it as entire as possible." 

 (Hints, 4r., p. 26.) 



721. The machines and implements for transplanting large shrubs with balls 

 need not be on such a large scale as those for transplanting large trees. Those 

 used by Mr. Pratt, already mentioned, are, a hand-barrow formed of sheet- 

 iron, of which fig. 258, a, represents the upper side, &, the under side, and c, 



Fig. 258. Machine for transplanting large shrubs with balls. 



a longitudinal section ; a pick, rf, like that used by Sir Henry Steuart ; a truck 

 with low wheels ; and a common hand-barrow, with wooden levers and 

 planks. There are three sizes of the sheet-iron hand-barrow, viz., four feet, 

 by two feet six inches ; three feet, by one foot nine inches ; and two feet two 

 inches, by one foot three inches ; they are all rounded at the corners, a little 



