20 



THE TREE PROPAGATOR AND PLANTER. 



then some of the GonifercB will die at an advanced age 

 and growth. I must here repeat my remarks relative 

 to the planting of this class particularly, as I am con- 

 vinced of the error most men fall into when planting 

 trees and shrubs, chiefly about gentlemen's grounds, 

 and more especially about the house and on lawns, 

 &c. It frequently happens that, to make a newly 

 planted tree of an ornamental description appear neat 

 and a finish, the plant is put in the place, and the soil 

 trodden in upon the roots as hard as it was before it 

 was dug out for the reception of the plant. This is 

 one of the greatest errors it is possible for a man to 

 commit in planting, and is a sure means of destroying 

 the tree, in nine cases out of ten, from the very fact 

 that the fertilising influence of the sun and air is 

 excluded from the roots ; not only so, but the forma- 

 tion of the new and tender parts of 

 the roots (which must be formed 

 before the tree can succeed) cannot 

 freely penetrate the soil so trodden 

 in immediately upon them as hard as 

 a beaten pathway. This is no doubt 

 the chief cause why large trees of 

 the evergreen class fail. 



Several weeks should elapse from 

 the planting of a tree till the final 

 filling up with all the soil upon the 

 roots ; and very little treading in of 

 the soil upon the roots should be 

 done at all, just enough to fix the 

 tree steady, and allow the earth to 

 settle down by the rains gradually 

 for two or three weeks, then fill in 

 finally. A large tree or shrub should 

 be supported by three stakes as a 

 preventive against the wind. 



But I advise that young trees of 

 the Pine, Fir, and Cupressus classes 

 be planted in preference to medium-sized ones. Four 

 or five years are quite enough as regards age. 



Fig. 7.— The Pine- 

 tree -whip-grafted. 



