1198 



AMERICAN FORESTRY 



THE OLD CITY OF CARCASSONNE, WITH ITS MASSIVE WALLS AND TOWERS. IS THE HISTORIC LANDMARK OF THE REGION 

 NEAR QUILLAN. WHEN THE WRITER WAS THERE IT WAS USED AS A CONFINEMENT CAMP FOR SOME GERMAN OFFICIALS 



other circumstances, might be shouting at oxen yoked to 

 two-wheeled carts on the Quillan grade or grubbing holly 

 on the Montagne Noire are seeing the picturesque Pyre- 



nees and the historic old city of Carcassonne on leave of 

 absence. It may be that some of them are in citizens 

 clothes in the States. 



TRANSPLANTING LARGE TREES 



[ ARGE trees are always transplanted with consider- 

 *-* able difficulty and expense, and are far less likely to 

 survive the operation than smaller ones. If trees above 

 three inches in diameter are to be moved, it is best to 

 have the work done by some one who has had experience 

 in transplanting large trees. The most successful results 

 are accomplished by means of a tree-moving machine. 

 Such machines are made by at least two firms in the 

 United States viz., John A. Wilkins, Indianapolis, In- 

 diana, and Isaac Hicks & Son, Westbury, New York. 

 With these machines, trees having a diameter as great as 

 twelve inches can be safely moved. 



To those who may wish to attempt the transplanting 

 of trees without engaging the services of an expert, the 

 following suggestions are offered : 



In the fall, before the ground freezes, a trench should 

 be dug around the tree which is to be moved, and as 

 deep as the roots have taken hold on the soil, usually 

 three to four feet, leaving a ball of earth from three to 

 seven feet in diameter, depending on the size of the tree 

 and the development of the root system. At the same 

 time a hole should be dug where the tree is to be planted, 

 making it deep enough so that the tree when planted will 

 stand three to four inches below Its original level, and 

 large enough to allow the filling in of one to two feet of 

 good rich soil about the roots after the tree is placed in 

 position. To prevent freezing, both the hole and the 

 earth dug from it should be covered with straw. 



When the ball of earth has frozen the tree is ready 

 to be moved. The smaller trees may be moved by rolling 

 the ball of earth on a sledge or stone boat, the stem 

 being supported upright to prevent injury to the limbs, 



in which position it may be drawn to the place of plant- 

 ing. The ball of earth on larger trees should be raised 

 to the surface by repeatedly leaning the tree to one side 

 and filling. in under it with earth on the other. The crown 

 of the tree should then be lowered to the ground and 

 the ball rolled on a long sledge or stone boat by the 

 aid of horses. The trunk should be held free from the 

 ground by means of wooden horses or supports placed on 

 the rear of the conveyance. The limbs should be tied up 

 to prevent injury in transportation. In all these opera- 

 tions plenty of burlap or other material should be used 

 to prevent damage to the bark. Horses may again be 

 used to roll the ball into final position and raise the stem 

 upright. 



In all cases the soil should be firmly packed about the 

 roots of the transplanted tree. To prevent their being 

 thrown by the wind, the larger trees should be supported 

 by three or four guy ropes, which should not be removed 

 until the tree has become firmly rooted in its new site. 



It is very important that trees transplanted in this 

 way should be watered during periods of drought for 

 the first two or three years, or until the equilibrium 

 between the root and branch systems, disturbed by 

 the transplanting, has been restored. 



An experienced tree-mover states that of all our trees, 

 the elms are most likely to survive when moved at a 

 mature age. Other trees which may be more or less suc- 

 cessfully transplanted are the maple, horse chestnut, 

 catalpa, ash, linden, willow, poplar, and pin oak. Trees 

 grown in the open are much better to move than those 

 grown in the woods, and a large young tree is more likely 

 to succeed than an old one of the same size. 



