230 Principles of Plant Culture. 



of plants, and so on until the box is full, or the desired 

 quantity is packed. The thickness of the layers will 

 depend upon the time of year, the temperature, the dis- 

 tance to be transported and the kind of plants. The 

 warmer the weather, the thinner should be the layers of 

 plants, as a rule. When the top of the box is put on, 

 the contents should be pressed sufficiently to prevent the 

 plants from shaking out of place. 



406. Puddling the Roots of Trees, i. e., dipping them 

 in a paste of soil and water, is much practiced by nur- 

 serymen and tends to prevent them from drying. The 

 paste should be made with rather light, loamy soil and 

 of the consistency of cream. 



407. Trees are commonly Bundled for Transportation 

 to economize space. For this purpose, a device resem- 

 bling a sawbuck, with the arms cushioned with burlap 

 or carpeting is very convenient. The trees are laid 

 between the arms, with the roots placed evenly at one 

 end. The stems are then drawn snugly together with a 

 broad strap, after which they are bound with soft cord 

 or with young and tender shoots of the osier willow.* 

 After bundling, the space between the roots should be 

 filled with damp moss, and the whole mass of roots sur- 

 rounded with the same material. If the distance to be 

 transported is short, the mossed roots may be sewed up in 

 burlap or matting and the tops may be tied up in straight 

 straw, or the whole bundle may be enclosed in burlap. 

 If the distance is long, the bundle should be boxed, to 

 more effectually prevent the trees from damage. The 

 bundles may be packed very closely in the box without 



* Salix viminalis. 



