114 PLANTING. 



A number of coniferous and other plants that had 

 been transplanted at the same time by common spades 

 in the usual way were pointed out to the committee. 

 They were mostly either dead or in a greatly debili- 

 tated and sickly condition ; and few, if any, showed 

 indications of ability to overcome the effects of the 

 operation they had undergone. 



After the inspection had been completed, Mr Gorrie 

 produced M'Glashen's apparatus, and kindly per- 

 mitted the committee to witness the methods of its 

 application, and the time necessary to perform the 

 operation of lifting. A plant of Irish yew, about 6 

 feet high, was lifted out of the ground ; but stones 

 greatly impeded the propulsion of the spades or 

 cutters. The committee were of opinion that, under 

 ordinary circumstances, in ground free of stones, the 

 work might have been executed in about half the 

 time in which the experiments they had witnessed 

 were accomplished. They were also of opinion that 

 the rapid action of the spades would be greatly ac- 

 clerated, and the work more economically performed, 

 by using hammers or mallets to drive the spades into 

 the ground, instead of simply crushing them in by the 

 action of the foot. 



The committee have no hesitation in saying that 

 the apparatus invented and patented by M'Glashen 

 is eminently adapted to the purpose for which it is 

 constructed, and superior in point of utility to any 

 other transplanting apparatus or machine with which 

 they are acquainted. They, however, consider the 

 price charged by Mr M'Glashen to be somewhat ex- 

 orbitant; and believe that the merits and advantages 

 of the apparatus have been secluded, its general ex- 

 cellence and usefulness unappreciated, and its issue 



