TRANSPLANTING. 75 



the stems, from ten to eighteen inches high, as the size of 

 the tree may require, fisr. 40. This mound performs the 

 triple ofice of stiffening the tree, excluding mice, and cover- 

 ing the roots from frost. Only a few seconds are required 

 to throw up one of these conical heaps of earth. After the 

 tree commences growing, the mounds are removed. Trees 

 which have had their heads lightened by the shortening pro- 

 cess, already described, will not often need any other pro- 

 tection. 



But when the trees are large, or the situation is windy, 

 staking becomes necessary. If driven before the roots are 

 covered, they may be erect, as in fig. 41 ; if driven 

 afterwards, they may be slanting; and in both 

 cases, straw bands should be first wrapped once 

 round, to prevent the trees from chafing 



Watering. A very common error is the belief 

 that trees need frequent watering before they are 

 in leaf. Deluging the roots, while in a partially 

 dormant state, is as hurtful to trees as to green- 

 house plants, and a continued repetition of it is al- 

 most certain death. When a plant is in a state of 

 rapid vegetation, large quantities of moisture are 

 drawn up by the leaves and thrown off', but while the buds are 

 unexpanded, the amount consumed is very small. Fruit trees 

 sometimes remain with fresh and green branches, but with 

 unswollen buds, till midsummer. Instead of watering such 

 at the roots, let the tops be wet daily at evening, with a 

 watering pot, and it will in nearly all cases bring them into 

 active growth. In extreme cases, shading the stem in ad- 

 dition to the watering, will be found beneficial. 



The following successful treatment in transplanting, in 

 cases that appeared almost hopeless, was practiced by the 

 late S. G. Perkins, of Boston : 



" Some ten years ago, I imported from Paris two hun- 

 dred and ten pear trees on quince stocks, whose roots, on their 

 arrival, I found to be entirely black and dead. I shaved off 

 with a drawing knife all the roots down to the stump. These 

 I planted in trenches, tying them to cross-bars to keep them 

 firm, and then filled up the trench with good soil. The 

 heads and bodies of these trees were regularly washed in 

 dry weather until they began to sprout which most of them 



