76 TRANSPLANTING. 



did in abundance during the summer, and I finally saved oul 

 of the whole number, one hundred and seventy-four, which 

 became as well rooted and as good trees as any in mj 

 garden. 



" This has happened more than once. Three or foui 

 years ago, I imported among other trees, twenty plum trees, 

 from six to seven feet high, the heads of which had been 

 budded the previous - year in France. These buds had 

 grown from nine to twelve inches long, and were perfectly 

 fresh when they arrived ; but the roots on examination were 

 found entirely dead. Two of these I gave away. One was 

 good for nothing, and the other seventeen I planted in my 

 garden, having cut out all the roots that had fibers, they be- 

 ing entirely dead. One of my men said I might as well 

 plant my walking stick. Sixteen of these are now flourish- 

 ing trees, well grown and well rooted, new roots being in- 

 duced by means of washing the upper part of the tree." 



Watering the roots, even of fast growing trees, will rare- 

 ly become needful if the soil is deep and is kept mellow 

 But whenever it is performed, the surface earth should be 

 thrown off, the water poured in, and the earth replaced. 

 This will admit the water at once to the roots, and leave the 

 surface mellow ; while by watering the top of the ground, 

 the water will perhaps fail to reach the dry soil below, but 

 only serve to harden and bake the surface. 



Mulching, or covering the ground about the tree with 

 straw, coarse barn-yard litter, or, what is still better, leaves 

 from the woods, will in nearly all cases obviate the necessity 

 of watering. It is an excellent protection against mid-summer 

 drouths, which so often prove destructive to newly trans- 

 planted trees, after they have appeared in leaf. A corres- 

 pondent of the Horticulturist, mulched 50 trees out of 150, 

 all of which had commenced growth alike. Those which 

 were mulched, all lived. Of the hundred not mulched, fif- 

 teen perished. The weather was hot and dry at mid- 

 summer. 



Trees received from a distance, and injured by drying, 

 should immediately have their roots coated by immersion in 

 a bed of mud ; and then the whole stems and branches buried 

 in moderately moist earth for a few days. They will gradual- 

 ly absorb moisture, through the pores in the bark, and re- 



