Machine for transplanting lar^^e Trees. 29 



I leave the world to judge what a fine property the owner of 

 such a plantation will leave to his son and to the nation. 



I have nothing more to say on forest-planting, so conclude 

 with the old saying, " Let works bear witness." 



Yours, 671 verite. 

 Heath House, Oct. 10. 1830. John Howden. 



Art. VII. Description and Use of a Machine for transplanting 

 large Trees and Shrubs. Invented and communicated by Wil- 

 liam Thom, Esq. Surgeon, Annan ; and used in his Garden there. 



Sir, 



The method adopted by Mr. Hay to remove the citron 

 tree at Castle Semple (Vol. VI. p. 702.), recalls to my recol- 

 lection an intention that I entertained some time ago, of mak- 

 ing public an account of an apparatus that I have now had 

 some years in use. Its object is effectually to accomplish the 

 great desideratum of forming and securing a ball of earth 

 round the roots of a m'owinfj tree or shrub intended for 

 transplantation, in order that the operation may be performed 

 with invariable success, and without causing any material 

 check to the health, growth, or fertility of the subject. 



This apparatus, though simple in construction, and easy of 

 application, when seen and understood, is not readily described 

 without a model, therefore circumlocution and repetition will 

 be unavoidable ; so that while I convey useful instructions to 

 the practical gardener, I expect also to afford amusement to 

 the verbal critic. Let it be kept in view, that it is. simply my 

 intention to describe a method of " weaving a basket or 

 hamper of iron round the roots of a growing tree, without 

 disturbiufj or deranffing the earth or mould in which the roots 

 are pasturing." 



The first part of the apparatus (a cover for the basket) 



consists of two flat 



5 « . . , 



— =^ — semicnxular pieces 



of sheet ii'on {Jig. 5. 

 a, b), but exceeding 

 the limits of a semi- 

 circle so far as to 

 admit of about 3 in. 

 of overlap to form 

 the union, when the 

 circle is completed 

 by their junction. 

 Near its outer margin 



