86 TRANSPLANTING OF LARGE TREES. 



ing water. When the disk of earth inclosing the soil has been frozen 

 into a solid mass, it may be pried up without disturbing the roots, and 

 the whole removed to a new site with no greater difl&culties than those 

 encountered in handling without injury. This method is, of course, not 

 adapted to general planting, but is limited to special cases, where the 

 distance is not great, and the circumstances are favorable. 



It is the practice of some to carefully pass under the ball when a lit- 

 tle raised, a sheet of stout coarse canvas, which is then bound firmly 

 with ropes around the roots and the included soil to keep the small 

 fibers from the air, and the native soil as much as possible in contact. 



Carri^re^ recommends surrounding the ball of earth (which should 

 be smaller below than above), with hurdles, branches of trees, boards, or 

 simply layers of straw, strongly binding with cords. It would be still bet- 

 ter in some cases, to have a basket-work woven for this use, by a basket- 

 maker, so as to fit the ball, and of strength proportioned to need. The 

 bark of the tree should be securely wrapped, wherever ropes are to be 

 fastened or force applied. In raising very large trees, three poles or 

 pieces of timber, fastened together at the top, would give support to the 

 pulleys used for hoisting it high enough for placing upon vehicle. The 

 hole to receive the tree should of course be suited in form and depth, 

 and the sides should be loosened with a pick, after the tree is placed, as 

 they would be apt to become hard pressed in the operation. The pack- 

 ing is then carefully removed, the tree suitably supported, rich soil is 

 carefully filled in, a thorough watering is applied, and the ground cov- 

 ered with litter to prevent drying. With respect to the season when 

 this should be done, Carri^re, writing for the practice in France (com- 

 parable with the middle latitudes of the United States), says:^ 



We should asmnch as possible execute these labors in winter, when there is no snow, 

 and the ground not too wet, because, aside from the facility with which it can be done, 

 the transportation is favored by the ice, which affords a better chance of success. 

 When the ball is prepared and wet the night before, freezing will turn the whole into 

 a solid mass, which can be moved with great certainty, and when the tree is not ex- 

 tremely large often without coverings for the roots. It is moreover evident that this 

 operation should not bo tried unless the tree is hardy, and that it should never be at- 

 tempted where the roots might be injured by the frost. 



A simple contrivance, consisting of four spades, a frame for holding 

 them together, and cross-bars for spreading the handles, was described 

 by Mr, MacGlashen, in the Revue Horticole, 

 1853, p. 455, and is worthy of notice. It can 

 best be illustrated by an engraving. A square 

 (rame being placed on the ground around 

 the tree or plant to be moved, four spades, 

 ,with holes in the handles, are pressed ver- 

 tically down, and their handles spread as 

 much as possible apart, and fastened on the 

 cross-bars by pins. The projecting ends of 

 _____^ the square frame serve as handles for rais- 



Four-spade arrangement for removingiug and Carrying the plant and comprcsscd 

 the soil with roots of trees. gQQ inclosed bctwceu the bladcs of the 

 spades, with very slight disturbance of the roots.^ 



' PSpinierea, p. 118. 



2 lb., 122. 



3 This device works extremely well in cases where the tree is small, but in models 

 that have been made for those of larger size, with eight spades of proper size and 

 strength, two on each side of the square, the expense and inconvenience become 

 greater than the advantages. In large models that have been made, the handles of 

 the spades were long and solid, bound with iron rings at the end, so as to bear driv- 



