The Garden 
JULY, 1916 
Magazine 
HOUGH not to be recommended as a general practice, 
still transplanting in midsummer may often be done 
successfully. This applies equally to small shrubs, her- 
baceous plants and even large trees, both deciduous 
and evergreen. It may come as a startling revelation to readers 
who have been. accustomed to quietly accept the ordinary routine 
practice as an inviolable law. The gardener of intelligence who 
looks ever so slightly below the surface appearance quickly realizes 
that there are, indeed, very few things in gardening that are abso- 
lute and unchangeable. Gardening is full of surprises.. The un- 
expected is constantly happening, which to many of us is one of the 
great fascinations of the gentle art. 
More and more we are coming to realize the supreme importance 
of an adequate water supply. Obviously the reason why a plant 
suffers from the shock of removal from one site to another is the 
resultant disturbance of the supply of water to the leaves and other 
exposed portions. All the water that passes out into the air must 
_be gathered from the soil by means of the roots and any injury to 
them is at once made manifest in the reduced supply of water 
to the parts above mentioned. The mere act of moving a plant is 
nothing in itself; the only question involved is how it isdone. If 
the growing plant is lifted with all its root system intact and no 
breakage or disturbance of its intimate relationship with the soil, 
it is, we take it, quite clear that the plant as a whole never knows 
it has been moved—unless the environment be radically changed 
as from swamp to sandy hill top. But we are not supposing any 
such radical treatment. 
regard for the welfare of the plant and great consideration for 
the convenience of the person doing the work; which means 
that the amount of labor is reduced to the minimum. Now in fall 
or winter when growth is dormant this is not such a serious matter, 
especially with the average run of nursery stock and ordinary sizes. 
Equally so in spring transplanting the natural habit of the plant 
aids the operation in pushing out root growth which quickly secures 
a hold on the soil. 
But when the unusual condition presents itself what are we to do? 
Can we safely move large trees and shrubs in midsummer? The 
answer is, “It all depends!” We have seen trees, large ones, too, 
up to ten inches trunk measure that were moved in July two years 
previously, and they had been successfully moved. They had been 
prepared previously by root pruning from time to time so that a 
large mass of small fibrous roots was contained in the ball about 
the base of the tree. Lindens and Maples in particular have been 
so treated in Mr. Hicks’s nursery and garden owners everywhere 
could do the same thing. The precautions observed were such as 
would be given by any good gardener. Twenty-four hours before 
digging, a trench is opened almost on a line with the spread of the 
branches. This is filled with water and the inside ball also well 
watered. When actual moving takes place next day, the soil is 
carefully taken from all extended roots which are then carefully 
wrapped and watered and the tree is lifted with a large ball based 
on the size of the trunk—one foot of ball to each inch of trunk. 
The actual move is made rapidly, the tree being replanted with 
& GENERALLY the act of transplanting is done with the least 
careful replacing and tamping of the soil. Subsequent care con- 
sists of watering and mulching liberally—a three-inch mulch is kept 
over the whole disturbed area for at least a year. 
From the results we have seen it is clear that large sizes can be 
successfully handled in midsummer, that the method and not the 
time is the controlling factor. And let us here cite a personal 
experience in corroboration: Two years ago a lot of Roses (raised 
from cuttings) were occupying space needed for other work. It 
was a case of transplanting the Roses or destroying them. They 
were transplanted one hot day in August, and every one — lived! 
POKES 
ELSEWHERE in this issue is an article on the opportunities 
that exist in every garden for the raising of root crops for a win- 
ter supply of vegetables. Too often these late crops, which are 
actually “‘catch crops,” are disregarded in the household economy, 
yet they may easily be turned into very real profits. 
The question as to the value of resulting crops enters the minds 
of home gardeners more every year. Personal effort is beginning 
to count for something and a man’s (or woman’s) time should be 
worth just as much in the home garden as elsewhere. Often it is 
worth more, because the health gained, besides the money saved, 
on vegetables one need not buy, is an item worthy of consideration. 
But aside from that, every row of carrots, beets, and turnips is 
worth at least five cans of vegetables bought at the grocery store 
at 15 cents each. 
The fact that these late root crop vegetables are grown as a by- 
product in rows that would otherwise develop weeds, should en- 
hance their value in the eyes of gardeners who believe in intensive 
cultivation. A fifteen foot row of carrots produces 5 dozen roots. 
Bought during the winter in market, these are worth about 75 cents, 
while toward spring in competition with Southern or hotbed grown 
roots they are worth nearly twice that much. With the exception 
of salsify, all the root crops may serve the double purpose of putting 
variation in your own diet and providing feed for chickens and pets. 
On the best managed estates in the dairy districts of New York 
State, the larger varieties of carrots and beets are considered a . 
most valuable feed for cows. In your own “domain,” pets of the 
children, like goats and rabbits, will be kept in the best of condition 
by feeding them roots that are unfit for table use. There need be 
no waste in connection with these crops of “waste spaces.” 
BPSD 
THE present issue completes Vol. XXIII of THE GarDEN 
MaGaAzIneE and with it we give the Volume Index. Bound 
volumes are also ready, and for the convenience of subscribers 
we shall be glad to bind their loose numbers for which a charge 
of $.75 is made. For the further convenience of our readers who 
desire to keep future issues we have been looking about for a con- 
venient temporary binder that would hold the several numbers 
without injury and yet securely. This we believe has at last been 
found in the Hoyt binder. This is adjustable to hold snugly 
from one to twenty or more copies of THE GARDEN MAGAZINE and 
can be supplied direct from the maker for $1.75. We shall be glad 
to serve you in this matter and will forward to the manufacturer 
any remittance and order for binders. 
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