TRANSPLANTING EVERGREENS. 10 



been previously opened a spade deep, with one side an inclined plane, 

 the puddled trees are spread upon the slant in a thin layer, care being 

 taken to have the collars as nearly uniform as may be, and the trees are 

 then covered with a thin layer of fine soil, which should reach an inch 

 or two above the collars. This is firmly tramped, and well smoothed, 

 and then a second layer of trees is "heeled in." The soil adheres to 

 the muck on the roots, and thus prepared they can be handled with 

 much less danger of drying than if heeled in without puddling. 



Each species should be heeled in by itself, one layer against another, 

 with a narrow alley between it and the next species. If the trees are 

 to remain heeled in for some little time a shady location should be 

 selected, or the trees should be shaded with a light mulch of straw or 

 prairie hay. 



The trees should be left thus heeled in until favorable weather for 

 planting comes. It is the variable weather of early spring which is so 

 often responsible for failure in tree planting, and in the West particu- 

 larly every precaution should be taken to use the most favorable time 

 for planting. To this end stock should always be ordered to be deliv- 

 ered at the earliest possible date after danger of freezing in shipment is 

 passed. If received when the ground is frozen it may be kept safely 

 in a cool cellar, to be heeled in when the frost is out of the ground. If 

 the spring rains are delayed, the stock should not be disturbed. This 

 is why it is important to heel in trees on the north side of a barn, or 

 other place where the shade will retard their sprouting. 



If the soil is in good condition as to moisture, cloudy weather is the 

 most favorable for planting, not only because there is less danger of 

 drying the roots of the trees, but also because there is less evaporation. 

 A few days of cloudy weather will enable the trees to establish them- 

 selves almost without check. 



Conifers, with the exception of Larch, should be left to the last in 

 planting, as they start later than broadleaf trees. It frequently happens 

 that large loss of Pines, Cedars, and Spruces is caused by early plant- 

 ing, followed by a period of bright sunshine and dry weather. Had the 

 conifers been left in the shade well-heeled in they would have been 

 protected from the bright sun, and in good condition for planting when 

 the rains came. 



Many successful planters never set evergreens until the root tips 

 show signs of growth. If when the root tips begin to swell and whiten 

 the soil moisture is favorable and cloudy weather prevails, the best pos- 

 sible combination of circumstances for transplanting has been secured. 



TRANSPLANTING EVERGREENS. 



Evergreens require more careful attention in transplanting than 

 deciduous trees. The latter may dry out and become shriveled,, yet 

 with proper attention be revived and live, but the former, once dried 

 in the least, never regain their vitality. This accounts for many fail- 



