PLANTING. 57 



to remove some, and they can be shifted for use elsewhere, instead 

 of destroying them. They form most valuable features in a newly- 

 made place, securing immediately effects that would otherwise have 

 to be long waited for, besides conducing to visible beauty. The 

 most suitable trees for such removal are Horse Chestnuts, Sycamores, 

 Maples, Limes, Beeches, Service trees, and Mountain Ash. 



The method to be adopted is as follows : Open out a trench 

 5 to 7 ft. distant from the stem of the tree, such distance depending 

 on the size of the tree, and dig down, cutting off any of the larger 

 roots that may be met with, but carefully preserving all the smaller 

 fibrous roots, following them to their ends and laying them carefully 

 round the ball of the tree. At a depth of from 3 to 4 ft. begin to 

 dig nearer the stem, and shape the ball by removing any superfluous, 

 loose earth at the top and sides, so that the root-ball has somewhat 

 the appearance of a flat inverted cone. Leave a supporting space 

 of 2 ft. diameter under the stem, then place matting round the ball, 

 enclosing the fibrous roots, and rope this round firmly. Next, place 

 thick planks on each side of the central support. Fix two or three 

 guide-ropes two-thirds of the way up the stem of the tree. Pull 

 one of these in the direction of the main planks, and draw the tree 

 over somewhat, separating it from its supporting base, and at the 

 same time, push two or three short 6 ft. planks as far under as 

 possible ; then pull the tree in the opposite direction and repeat the 

 operation on the other side. The cross-planks are to be lightly 

 bound together. The tree is then standing on a platform of planking, 

 which rests, in its turn, on the two main planks first put under. 

 These latter are the sliding-planks, or rails, on which the short 

 cross-planks, forming a carriage, slide. Care will be taken that the 

 sliding-planks are placed in the direction to be traversed, or in the 

 direction of least difficulty in extricating the tree from its site. A 

 piece of matting is then placed above the crown of the root, to 



