372 



Transplanting Evergreens. 



Vol. XII. 



risk is greater in their removal tiian that 

 which usually attends the process on deci- 

 duous trees. Another reason whicl) some 

 will give, is, that they have attempted to 

 c'lltivate them and failed, and they will, 

 therefore, spend no more time in the matter. 



As it regards the first objection, we must 

 say, from our personal experience, tliat we 

 will as soon risk success in their removal as 

 in that of any tree whatever, — unless it be 

 the willow, or some of the species that can 

 hardly be killed under any circumstances. 

 Care, we know, is necessary; and so it is 

 in taking up and transplanting all trees, if 

 the highest degree of success would be ob- 

 tained. This is reasonable; for men have 

 no right to e.xpect success where they be- 

 stow no pains. But to our experience with 

 evergreens. 



In our first efforts in their cultivation, we 

 had heard different seasons recommended as 

 the best for their removal. In order to sat- 

 isfy ourselves on this point, we have tried 

 each month, from September to June inclu- 

 sive, and with very fair success. So we are 

 able to say, that with proper care they may 

 be removed in any of the autumn months, in 

 any part of the uii;ter, whether tlie ground 

 is frozen or not, and through all the busy 

 bustling spring and early summer, at just 

 such times as the convenience of the ope- 

 rator may dictate. For the very best lime, 

 as our labours will warrant, we would re- 

 commend that, when the bud is fairly burst- 

 ing; and from that until the new growth 

 has attained an inch in length. We 

 have put them out when the new branches 

 were three or four inches long, and the tem- 

 perature of the atmosphere so high that they 

 would wilt before reaching home, and, by 

 copious watering for a few days, have those 

 branches assume their usual position, and 

 continue their growth. We have also had 

 instances where these drooping extremities 

 would dry up in spite of our labours to re- 

 suscitate, and seen new ones shooting forth 

 from buds which had hitherto lain dormant, 

 and might never have been called into ac- 

 tion, had not a necessary cause appeared to 

 push them forward. Tlie better time, how- 

 ever, is before they advance in growth so far 

 as to have new wood, — which, in its first 

 stages, is so fender and herbaceous, — of suf- 

 ficient length to droop. 



Our method of taking up and putting out 

 again is somewhat like that of your corres- 

 pondents, to whom allusion has been made. 

 We get our trees from open lands, or sparse- 

 ly wooded grounds, when we can. In this 

 region, the fir, whose beauties all admire, is 

 often found growing in old pastures on the 



high mountains. These pasture lands have 

 a cold, moist, shallow soil, underlayed with 

 an almost permeable subsoil. In such local- 

 ities, where the roots from necessity run 

 horizontally and near the surface, there is 

 but little difficulty in taking them up with- 

 out loss of fibres or earth, especially if we 

 take that sharp ed^ed spade along to cut 

 around the tree. The union belv.'een the 

 soil and subsoil is not so close but that they 

 will easily separate; and thus a tree may be 

 removed in its native soil almost without 

 loss of fibre. They may be set in a wagon 

 in their growing position, and safely trans- 

 ported, by careful driving, to almost any dis- 

 tance. 



Another method of obtaining is, to go into 

 swamp lands, where old logs and stumps are 

 always to be found in abundance; around and 

 over these is often a shallow stratum of ve- 

 getable earth, formed by the decomposition 

 of substances gathered round. From this, 

 evergreens frequently spring; and as their 

 growth increases, they push their main roots 

 to a deeper and moister soil. We take an 

 axe and cut off these descending roots; after 

 which, by gently raising the tree, you can 

 save a thousand fibres, and all the soil from 

 which the tree drew its first nourishment. 

 This is a very pretty way of obtaining them; 

 for by it we save all the earth necessary 

 without getting a burdensome quantity to 

 lift. 



In putting out, we have had but little re- 

 gard to the soil or size of the pit, provided 

 it is large enough freely to admit the roots 

 in their natural position. Soft and light 

 earth should be brought in contact with the 

 roots of all trees, in order to facilitate the 

 first efforts of the roots in pushing in a new 

 soil. Watering we have found necessary 

 tlie first season after transplanting, as we 

 have, for the most part, taken our trees from 

 moist soils, which had given them aquatic 

 habits. We never prune our evergreens, 

 but let them form heads to their own fancy; 

 throwing out their first branches at the 

 ground, and thus forming beautiful cones if 

 they choose. If pruning is preferred, how- 

 ever, it may safely be performed after the 

 first year ; and any form given to the head 

 by the knife they will be likely to retain, as 

 they are not like deciduous trees— disposed 

 to throw out new shoots to supply the places 

 of branches taken off. 



We have found it an excellent practice to 

 keep the surface around evergreens well co- 

 vered ^with leaves, especially in summer, 

 when the rays of the sun fall most violently 

 upon them. Leaves keep the earth cool 

 and moist, which is a desideratum to their 



