General Remarks. 575 
injured by overgrowing them, they should be renewed once a 
year at least so long as they are necessary. Where possible, 
deciduous trees and shrubs should be transplanted in early 
autumn, before the soil becomes very wet, especially if of a 
tenacious nature, and then, unless the following summer be 
unusually dry, or the trees large, they will need very little 
attention in the matter of watering, on account of their having 
formed new rootlets. Most evergreen trees and shrubs may 
be transplanted with safety almost at any time of the year if 
removed with a ball of earth ; but early autumn or late spring 
are on the whole the best seasons to select. Coarse-rooted 
trees and evergreens without balls of earth attached to their 
roots require much more attention to ensure success in re- 
moval. But in the case of valuable shrubs and trees, it is 
usual to prepare them for a year or two beforehand, by taking 
out a trench around them at about two or three feet or more 
from the stem, according to the size of the tree; in this way 
the roots are cut through, which causes them to branch ott and 
fill the soil immediately around the stem. If the tree or shrub 
has never previously been transplanted, it is advisable to dig 
underneath it on one side to cut the tap-root asunder which 
most species produce when raised from seed. Firm staking 
and a little mulching with rough stable-duny are worth more 
than frequent doses of water, and shading during very hot or 
drying weather with moistened mats is very beneficial for 
evergreens when they have been transplanted with little soil. 
Another important consideration in planting is the selection of 
species suitable to the soil and situation. Under the heading 
Classification of Plants some information on this point will be 
found. Neglect of this rule is the explanation of our finding 
what would be handsome examples of choice subjects in crowded 
or concealed spots. The size a tree or shrub will attain is in 
most instances easily ascertained, and this done, the necessity 
of cutting down because they are too large for the situations 
they occupy may be avoided. Overcrowding trees and shrubs 
in planting is to be deprecated. Thick planting may be 
resorted to to produce immediate effect, or for the sake of 
mutual shelter; but the plantations should be gradually thinned 
out as the plants grow, or the result will be a dense thicket, 
and in course of time the most undesirable species may kill 
many of the others. 
It isa very common practice in planting trees in park and 
