GARDENING. 109 



of vessels surrounded by cellular tissue in a very lax 

 spongy state. 'Plants absorb all or nearly all of their 

 fluids through these spongioles, and, as the latter are 

 exceedingly delicate in their organization, their de- 

 struction will be effected in exact proportion to the 

 violence or carelessness with which their transplanta- 

 tion is performed. 'It is because of the security of 

 the spongioles from injury, when the earth is undistur- 

 bed, that plants reared in pots are transplanted witli 

 so much more success than if taken immediately from 

 the soil.' As every fibre is terminated by a spongiole, 

 cutting through the roots of large trees to induce the 

 formation of fibres, the year previous to removing them, 

 contributes to successful transplanting. 'When destroy- 

 ed, the spongioles are often speedily replaced, particular- 

 ly in orchard trees, provided a slight degree of growth 

 continues to be maintained. This is one of the reasons 

 why trees removed in October succeed better than if 

 transplanted at any other time. The first impulse of 

 nature, when the tree finds itself in a new situation, is 

 to create new mouths by which to feed, when the season 

 for growing again returns." 



SHORT DIRECTIONS FOR TRANSPLANTING. 



Food is as necessary to the health and growth of 

 plants as it is to animals. The best food for plants is 

 rich, pulverised earth, or rather the vegetable matter 

 which it contains. That your trees and shrubs ma} 

 live and thrive, proceed as follows: Dig for your trees 

 holes at least three feet in diameter, and eighteen inches 

 deep, and for shrubs a proportionate size and depth, 

 throwing away the lower spit of earth. Then fill up 

 the hole to a proper height for setting the tree, with 

 rich surface earth, or perfectly rotted manure, blended 

 with four out of five parts of earth. Set yoUr tree, and 

 cover with surface soil, treading down when the roots 

 roots are covered with earth. See that the roots are 

 trimmed of all bruised and broken parts; that they arc 

 separately extended in their natural direction ; that fine 

 earth every where comes in contact with them. A 



K 



