OF LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS 35 



In regard to the time, it seems to me that the autumn is the best time, if the roots can be protected, 

 as the tree is well set and, if puddled with water, which I have found an excellent thing to get the earth 

 entirely around the roots, the tree starts off in the spring without any delay and, if it is properly guyed, 

 it has not had the little rootlets rubbed off. Whereas, if it is planted in midwinter or early spring, the ground 

 being frozen, it is difficult to pack the soil about the rootlets, and it never gets a firm hold 



In regard to the orientation of the tree, I believe thoroughly that there is something in that. A tree 

 growing has certain structural strength in its roots and in its branches, and it has grown to withstand the 

 winds coming generally from one direction — ^the hardest winds. When it is transplanted and all its strength 

 is reversed, the structure must be subjected to a disastrous strain, which may have a great deal to do with 

 its dying. I have noticed in many places, where the sparse growths were trimmed off, leaving a few trees 

 which I hoped to maintain and have branch out, that they very often blew down or died when the protection 

 was removed. They had evidently grown for one condition, and when submitted to another, — though 

 the ground had not been disturbed, — they failed, and I think that is something to be considered in orienting 

 a tree. 



Mr. Lowrie: One fact has not been specially touched upon, and that is the desirability of having 

 large trees in certain instances. By large trees, I do not mean a tree which is a foot or eighteen inches in 

 diameter, necessarily, but one which may be from four to eight inches in diameter, and I think there are 

 cases where such a tree is very desirable, and almost any expense can properly be incurred in order to secure 

 it. Take, for instance, a case where you have a house in an absolutely treeless plot of ground — a new house, 

 say. I think if you can get two or three fairly good-sized trees established near that house, it will give an 

 effect of age; and I am of the opinion that they are far better than all the shrubbery and small trees you 

 could plant. I have in mind one particular instance of a fern-leaved beech, which I transplanted about 

 twelve years ago. It was a tree about fifteen or eighteen feet high, and about five inches in diameter at the 

 butt. I moved it with a ball, and for about two years it stood still, but was in a fairly live condition; after 

 that, it grew very successfully, and is now, I suppose, twenty-five feet high and, say, eight inches in diameter, 

 and a very fresh and very handsome fern-leaved beech. The success of that work was due to the careful 

 securing of the roots — it not being an easy tree to move — and the plentiful use of water during the first 

 year or so. I think that one-half the cause of success in moving large trees is the thorough watering. 



Miss Bullard not being present, a letter from her was read by the President from which the following 

 is quoted: 



I am sure we all agree with the author of the paper on one point, i. e., that we should prefer to plant 

 small trees in the best possible manner and await results. 



Personally I have endeavored, and generally succeeded, in avoiding the risk, and the long-continued 

 nervous strain involved in the other course, the securing of "immediate effect" by moving large trees, although 

 sometimes it is insisted upon, and attended with varying results. 



As a bit of ancient history, I recall the apparently reckless way in which the large trees were moved 

 about during the construction days of Prospect Park in Brooklyn, when it became necessary to break up 

 the hard lines and solid blocks of woodland, left by the market-garden farms. The large maples and other 

 trees were whirled out of the wood-edges into the open meadows, on the large-wheeled apparatus, invented, 

 I believe, by one of the master-gardeners. As I remember it, very large forces of men were then employed, 

 and the work was being rushed to please the tax-payers, by opening up the long "West Drive," andthe 

 meadows and woodlands. Each operation was rushed with amazing rapidity but with military precision 

 and there was no hesitation about remaining after hours to complete the work. Most of the Park officers, 

 and many of the men, had been with the armies of the Civil War, and the discipline was perfect. These 

 conditions may have helped in some measure to insure the success which attended most of these transplant- 

 ings. No doubt, infinite care was exercised by those in authority in the selection of the trees, and in the 

 times of planting, which, as I recall, were in the spring, the fall, and sometimes, in the winter with immense 

 frozen balls. My very youthful interest in it all at the time, was chiefly in the spectacular effect of the 

 transformation scenes, as the hard wood-edges were broken into natural lines, and the fine individual trees 

 took their places upon the lawns and meadows and along the driveways, with so little apparent 

 disturbance of their comfort and well-being. 



What was the exact proportion of loss I am, naturally, unable to state, but I do remember the stress 

 which was laid upon the careful preparation of the immense holes, the good clean loam, and the top dressing, 

 and the mulching; this last, especially, seemed to be a matter of great moment and careful attention until 

 the tree had become thoroughly established. 



