TRANSPLANTING. 



69 



placed in its new situation precisely as it stood before, it 

 would suffer no check in growth. The nearer then, we can 

 approach this, the greater will be our success. 



There is no difficulty in saving the leaf-bearing branches. 

 All our attention must accordingly be directed to the roots. 

 The spade should be set into the earth at a distance from 

 the tree, and the whole carefully lifted, not forcibly with- 

 drawn, from the soil. Or, so much of the earth should be 

 separated in a circle by the spade, that when the tree is 

 withdrawn, a large portion of the soil may be lifted with 

 it with the small fibres.* The roots of a young tree usually 

 extend in a circle quite equal to its height; the workman, 

 therefore, who cuts off all within six inches of a tree which 

 is itself eight feet high, deprives :t of a large portion of 

 y y its means of sustenance. 



^ In the annexed figure, 



a indicates the trunk of 

 the tree ; hh the circle 

 of roots cut off witl the 

 spade in a hasty re- 

 moval ; and without tnis 

 circle, the rest of the 

 roots which are left in 

 the earth. Fig. 35. 



But in ordinary, or 

 even very careful prac- 

 tice, a part of this wide 

 network of fibres must 

 necessarily be separated 

 from the tree. It is evi- 

 dent then, that the usual supplies of sap to the leaves must 

 be in part cut off. Now the lea^ es are constantly (during 

 day) throwing off insensible moistJie into the air; and good 

 sized trees thus give off daily, n any pounds. Keduce the 

 supply from below, and the leaves cannot flourish; and if 

 the reduction is severe, the tree withers and dies. 



The remedy consists in lessening the number of leaves, 



* Some cultivators liave adopted the opinion i!;a.t the small fibres are unimportant, 

 and may be cut olf without lessenins: the chances of growing But tins chu only be 

 ti ue with verv small trees or seedlings, wliich quickly reproduce a muliuude of small 

 r.)0'*. after the lop is removed for 'the insertion of a graft; or where the fibres of 

 larg.r trees have been killed by exposure after removal, and which are followed by 

 a necessary lopping of the branches. 



