24 TRANSPLANTING DRTROT. 



least, two men with strong new spades, and stand 

 by them every minute: for the spades have, in all 

 ordinary hands, a strange centripetal attraction on 

 account of which it is difficult to maintain a due 

 remoteness from the heart of the roots, and not- 

 withstanding the strictest mandate, you will find 

 frequent cause for calling Hold, when the mur- 

 derous slash is about to descend through your 

 living fibres. Set spade over against spade each 

 a foot from the stem of your holly s, and allow no 

 wriggling or prising till they have gained an even- 

 down depth greater than that of the roots then 

 lift, and up comes the whole living form, as un- 

 concious of suffering by the change of bed as a 

 sleeping child. Carry softly; make the new bed 

 broad and deep, of the prepared compost; set the 

 most projecting branch to the west wind; pour in 

 a little more of the foreign with a mixture of the 

 native mould; then drench with water: the wet- 

 ness of the earth or of the day is no excuse, as it 

 might be found, on a narrow inspection, that the 

 roots, though surrounded, are not closely embraced 

 by the soil, but that there are cavities, within 

 which the roots will become mouldy and die of 

 dryrot so called; 1 level all up making the sur- 



x "So called" In throwing this discredit on the name, the 

 Author does not profess to unravel the mystery of the thing; in 

 other woi'ds, to account for and cure that remarkahle decayt 

 whether it be in the timber of ships or houses, which is usually 

 denominated dryrot. But if the name be wrong it deserves cor- 

 rection lest it lead to a wrong idea, and the attempting of a 

 remedy by securing to the wood more wet, and so preventing a 



