CHAPTER XVI. 



OF TRANSPLANTING. 



As soon as man attempted to beautify his residence with 

 trees planted round it, he would naturally obtain them from the 

 forest, and he then would find that, of many that he removed, 

 all or some at least would die ; if, however, he persevered he 

 would at last discover that while constant failure attended his 

 efforts at one time, comparative success would crown them at 

 another; and he would thus be led to investigate, according to 

 his skill, the causes of success and failure. Out of this would 

 grow in time the art of transplanting, among the most important 

 business of the gardener. 



I fear, however, it is too generally practised as an empirical 

 art, without sufficient attention being paid to the principles on 

 which its success or failure depend ; at least, one hardly knows 

 how to draw any other conclusion from the opposite opinions 

 held by planters, the dogmatical manner in which they are too 

 •often expressed, and the obscure and unintelligible phraseology 

 of what are called explanations of the practice by amateurs, to 

 whom it is not necessary to allude more particularly. If there 

 is any one par^ of the art of Horticulture in which post hoc has 

 been mistaken for propter hoc more coromonly than another, 

 it is surely in what concerns transplantation.* And yet the 

 rationale is simple enough, if we do not labour to render it 

 confused by imaginary refinements. 



* It is scarcely necessary to say that these remarks do not, in any way, apply to 

 Mr. Macnat's Sints on the Plamtmg cmd general Treatment of Hardy Evergreens in 

 the Climate of Scotlamd, an excellent treatise, wUch it is impossible to recommend 

 too strongly to the attention of the planter. 



