568 Season for transplanting Evergreens. 



spongioles, that the plant can derive much nutriment from the 

 soil. I think it will also be generally allowed, that the roots of 

 a tree or shrub, transplanted in December, will remain compara- 

 tively dormant much longer than if it were removed in March 

 or April ; and, if this be true, it will appear evident, that a longer 

 time must elapse before the roots of the evergreens planted in 

 December can give the necessary supplies to counteract the in- 

 jury sustained by evaporation, than in the case of the evergreens 

 planted in March or April : hence, the evaporation is going 

 on longer in the former case than in the latter, without obtaining 

 fresh supplies to counteract its baneful effects. As far as my 

 experience goes, I have found that evergreens planted without 

 balls, in December, have, in numerous instances, lost their leaves 

 by the month of March or April; and in very many instances 

 the plants have died: whereas, by planting in the month of April, 

 I have seldom had to regret the loss of any ; which, I conceive, 

 is in a great measure to be attributed to the short time that 

 evaporation is going on, without a fresh supply of moisture being 

 obtained by the roots. 



I am aware that what. I have now advanced militates some- 

 what against the system which I partially recommended in regard 

 to the pinaster (Vol. X. p. 497.) : however, those observations 

 were intended to be confined to planting near the coast, where 

 there is much more humidity in the atmosphere during the winter 

 than in situations far distant from the sea ; and I am also inclined 

 to believe that, owing to the texture of the leaves of the pine and 

 fir tribe, a less degree of evaporation takes place with them than 

 in the broad, and in some instances tender, leaved evergreens. 



It may not be amiss just to hint at the difference that exists in 

 evergreens, as regards the degrees of succulency possessed by 

 the leaves of each ; and I think it will be conceded, that the 

 more succulent they are, so in proportion are they the more 

 tenacious of life ; and, consequently, may be transplanted with a 

 greater certainty of success. Take, for instance, the Aiiaiha japo- 

 nica, and some other evergreens, the wood of which is of a hard 

 texture, and it will be found that the aucuba, under a less careful 

 treatment, will suffer the least. I conceive it is upon the same 

 principle that a v/illow pole of 12 ft. high, when stuck in the 

 ground, will strike root and send out leaves, while the oak or 

 beech pole, were the experiment to be made, would die. But 

 to return to evergreens : when removed with good balls, I have 

 never found any difficulty to insure success at any season of the 

 year, when accompanied with a little care as regards watering 

 during the hot summer months ; and, in one instance, I was very 

 successful in the month of May, when the evergreens transplanted 

 were in the act of making their shoots, and before the length of 

 these was perfected. These evergreens were drawn from the 



