32 TRANSPLANTING 



cost involved, etc. But, generally, it may be said that old plants, plants 

 that have long been undisturbed, and most evergreens should be trans- 

 planted with balls of earth. On the other hand, young plants and most 

 deciduous ones may be moved with naked roots. 



Transplanting -without Soil attached to the Roots. In 

 transplanting a tree or shrub without soil, it has always to be borne in 

 mind that the greater the proportion of fibrous roots that are retained 

 the greater will be the degree of success. With small plants up to two or 

 three years old it is, as a rule, sufficient to push the spade or fork 

 beneath them and raise them bodily from the ground, and then shake the 

 roots free from soil. But with older specimens more care is needed, such 

 as those whose roots have spread 3 ft. or more from the stem. With 

 such specimens it is necessary to commence operations at a sufficient 

 distance from the stem proportionate, of course, to the size of the tree, 

 but always far enough away to preserve a considerable proportion of the 

 fibrous roots by digging a trench; then, by working inwards, chiefly 

 with a fork, the roots should be carefully shaken free from the soil. In 

 the case of large and important specimens this work must not be hurried. 



In replanting a tree that has been taken up in the way described, the 

 first consideration should be to provide a hole wide enough to allow 

 the roots to be spread out to fullest extent. This applies to plants of 

 any size, but it is more important the larger they are. Roots should 

 never be doubled back or made to fit the circumference of a hole. They 

 should be placed in the earth as nearly as possible in the same relative 

 positions as they were when taken out. With regard to the depth at 

 which trees should be planted, it may be said that the thickened base of 

 the stem, where it begins to divide into the several main roots, should 

 always be above ground. The mistake of too deep planting is nearly 

 always made, especially where the holes have been deeply dug, 

 because insufficient allowance is made for settling. A convincing lesson 

 may be learnt in connection with this question of depth from naturally 

 sown trees. It will be noticed that there is always some tendency and 

 often it is a very marked one for the base of the stem to be elevated 

 above the surrounding ground. When this part is buried the stem is 

 much predisposed to decay at the "collar." The bark of the stem or 

 trunk, which Nature intended to be exposed to the atmosphere only, is 

 kept permanently dark and moist. This renders it, no doubt, peculiarly 

 susceptible to cell-rupture by alternate freezing and thawing, and to the 

 attacks of fungi. Plants that die from this cause usually die quite 

 suddenly, causing much wonder. Still, some trees, such as poplars and 

 elms, do not seem to mind deep-planting. 



When rearranging the roots in their new quarters, the aim should be 

 to spread them out evenly in all directions. The soil in immediate 



