HARRISON'S NURSERIES, BERI.IN, MD. 



Directions for Transplanting, Etc. 



A8 the life and well-being of a tree depends very muc^ upon the care and treatment it 

 receives after It leaves the hands of the Nurseryman, and as a large proportion of the trees 

 that are lost are lost for the want of proper treatment, we desire to offer a few hints upon the 

 subject of tr^ansplanting, pruning, etc, 



TRANSPLANTING, 



The proper season for transplanting fruit trees is during the months of October, Novem- 

 ber and December, in the autumn ; and February, March and April, in the spring; or at any 

 time after the cessation of growth in autumn until they commence budding in the spring. The 

 autumn is preferred, as giving the ground an opportunity to become firmly settled around the 

 roots during the winter, so that the trees will be ready y-^--^- 

 to grow off without interruption at the first impulse of % jf ,-c. o ^^c-i-a ^f -n^o+^vn-oi +r^ ^i„^+ 

 nature in the spring. The ground should be well pre- } out fn orchard un^els tie grounS is 

 pared by at le'kst two good plougnings. Let sub-soil ^ 2}in^i?,°y,^e. v^h ^^^^^^ ^^^ ground is 

 plough follow in the furrow of the other, loosening up <^ ^^^^ pieparea. 



the earth to the depth of twelve to eighteen inches. i-^-^^.vv^.w^_^^^.v^w._.^_>.^vww^-_y^^>w^^.-~.'-^^ 

 We consider this much better than the usual mode of digging deep holes, which in tenacious 

 clay will hold water like a basin, to the injury of the tree. If the ground is not in good condi- 

 tion it should be made so. Most soils would be benefited by the application of a good coat of 

 lime or wood ashes, which should be well mixed with the soil. When the ground is prepared, 

 dig the holes sufficiently large to admit the roots, giving them their natural position as near as 

 practicable. Use the surface soil for filling in, having it first well pulverized. If it is not rich, 

 add good mould to malie it so ; that found immediately under the leaves in the woods is very 

 good for the purpose. Avoid deep planting, for it is decidedly injurious to the tree, and when 

 excessive, may cause its death, or a weak and feeble growth. Plant no deeper than it stood in 

 the nursery, 



PREPARING THE ROOTS. 



Immediately before planting, all the bruised or wounded parts should be pared off 

 smoothly, to prevent decay, and to enable them to heal over by granulations during the growth 

 of the tree. Then dip them in a bed of mud, which will coat over every part evenly, and leave 

 no portion in contact with the air. which, accidentally, might not be reached by the earth in 

 filling the hole. The use of water in settling the earth among the roots will be found eminently 

 serviceable. Let there be a few quarts poured in while the hole is filling up. If the ti-ees have 

 been out of the ground for a long time, and have become dry and shriveled, they should be im- 

 mersed in water twenty-four hours before planting. Fruit trees sometimes remain with fresh 

 and green branches, but with unswoilen buds, till mid-summer. Instead of watering such at 

 the roots, let the body and branches be wet every evening regularly, about sundown, with a 

 watering pot ; this will, in nearly all cases, bring them into active growth. 



SHORTENING-IN THE BRANCHES. 



However carefully trees may be taken up, they will lose a portion of their roots, and if 

 the whole top is allowed to remain, the demand will be so great upon the roots that in many 

 cases it will prove fatal to the tree. To obviate this, then, it becomes necessary to shorten-in 

 the branches, which should be done at the time of planting, and in a manner to correspond with 

 the loss of roots. If the tree has lost the greater portion of its roots, a severe shortening-in 

 the branches will be necessary; if only a small portion of the roots has been cut off, more 

 moderate pruning will be sufficient. Particular attention to this matter will save many trees 

 that otherwise would perish. 



MULCHING. 



This is another very important matter, particularly in this climate, where we frequently 

 experience severe midsummer droughts. It consists in covering the ground about the tree 

 with coarse litter, straw, leaves, shavings or anything that will shade the ground and prevent 

 evaporation. It should be done early in the spring, and will in most cases obviate the necessity 

 of watering at the root. We cannot too earnestly insist upon the momentous importance of 

 mulching. We have known orchards planted w"here more than half the number died when 

 mulching was neglected; while, on the other hand, we have witnessed trees set out under the 

 same ciicumstances and in like manner and treated similarlj', save only that they were well 

 mulched, and not a single one was lost ; they not only all grew, but made four times the growth 

 of the others. 



Instead of staking, let the earth be banked up around the tree so as to keep it erect until 

 it gets sufficiently rooted to stand without support. 



CULTIVATING. 



When the transplanting is finished, many persons are under the impi-ession that their 

 work is done, and they can do notllag more for the tree. But this is a very mistaken idea. It 

 is a very important matter to have them well planted, but doubly important to have them well 

 cultivated afterwards. Enveloped in weeds and grass, what plant can flourish ? What farmer 

 would think for an instant of raising a crop of Indian corn in the thick and tall grass of a 

 meadow ? Such an idea, he Avould at once say, would be preposterous. We will say that it is 

 r^eveTT^i^^U^'a?^!^'^;^ "^ore impossible than the idea of raising a thrifty 



Cmo- fo t«vl oaVi of ft ^ ^^^^horchard under the same treatment. It is indispens- 



:.d!^^?-cii5;l^ll^I5vSl^!;^^ necessary that the ground should be well culti- 



vated to obtain fine fruit. From the neglect of this arises so much of the dissatisfaction of tree 

 planters. Give to your trees for a tew years a clean, melloAv and fertile soil, and they will bend 



