406 APPENDIX. 



whole theory of transplanting nearly full grown trees, but placing before 

 its readers a report of a committee of the Highland Society of Edinburgh 

 attesting the complete success of the practice, as exemplified in the woods, 

 copses, and groups, which, removed by the transplanting machine, beau- 

 tified with their verdure and luxuriance the baronet's own park, the 

 whole matter of transplanting was apparently cleared up, and numbers of 

 individuals in this country, with sanguine hopes of success, set about the 

 removal of large forest trees. 



Of the numerous trials made upon this method, with trees of extra size, we 

 have known but a very few instances of even tolerable success. This is 

 no doubt owing partly to the want of care and skill in the practical part of 

 the process, — but mainly to the ungenial nature of our climate. 



The climate of Scotland during four fifths of the year, is in some respects 

 the exact opposite of that of the United States. An atmosphere, which for 

 full nine months of the twelve, is copiously charged with fogs, mist, and 

 dampness, may undoubtedly be considered as the most favourable in the 

 world, for restoring the weakened or impaired vital action of large transplant- 

 ed trees. In this country, on the contrary, the dry atmosphere, and constant 

 evaporation under the brilliant sun of our summers, are most important ob- 

 stacles with which the transplanter has to contend, and which render com- 

 plete success so much more difficult here than in Scotland. And we would 

 therefore rarely attempt in this country the extensive removal of trees larger 

 than twenty feet in height. When of the size of fifteen feet they are suffi- 

 ciently large to produce very considerable immediate eflfect, while they are 

 not so large as to be costly or very difficult to remove, or to suffer greatly 

 by the change of position like older ones. 



The great want of success in transplanting trees of moderate size in this 

 country arises, as we conceive, mainly from two causes ; the first, a want 

 of skill in performing the operation, arising chiefly from ignorance of the 

 nature of the vital action of plants, in roots, branches, etc., and the second, 

 a bad or improper selection of subjects on which the operation is to be per- 

 formed. Either of these causes would account for bad success in removals ; 

 and where, as is frequently the case, both are combined, total failure can 

 scarcely be a matter of surprise to those really familiar with the matter. 



An uninformed spectator, who should witness for the first time the re- 

 moval of a forest tree, as ordinarily performed by many persons, would 

 scarcely suppose that anything beyond mere physi£al strength was required. 



