t'4 HARRISON'S NURSERIES, BERLIN, flD. 



DIRECTIONTS FOR TRANSPLANTING, ETC. 



As the life and well-being of a tree depends very much 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 for the want of proper treatment, we desire to offer a few hints upon the sub- 

 ject of transplanting, pruning, etc. 



Transplanting. 



The proper season for transplanting fruit trees is during the months of October. Xovem- 

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



- t mtiuMKM.i «t»«4««»» I nM ^^^ roots during the winter, so that the trees 



? It i^ a waste of material to Tilant out t will be ready to grow off without interruption 



t an orVha?7nSess tKroimd is wen nr^ % at the first impulse of nature in the spring. 

 t ^^ 2.^"^°^^^ ^°^^ss t^® ground ls^^ell pr^- | rj.^^ ground should be well prepared by at 

 J pdieu. I least two good ploughings. Let sub-soil 



plow fol low in the furrow of^the other, loosen 



ing up the earth to the depth of twelve to eighteen inches. We consider this much bettei 

 than the usual mode of digging deep holes, which in tenacious clay vn-i11 hold water like a 

 basin, to the injury of the tree. If the ground is not in good condition it should be made so. 

 Most soils would be benefitted by the application of a'good coat of iime or wood ashes, 

 'which should be well mixed with the soil. When the ground is prepai'ed. dig the holes suf 

 ■ficiently 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 

 TTiould to make it so: that found immediately under the leaves in the wo'ds is \ ery good for 

 the purpose. Avoid deep plantitig, for it is decidedly injurious to the tree, and when ex 

 ■cessive, may cause its death, or a weak and feeble growth. Plant no deeper than it stood m 

 rthe nursery. 



Preparing the Roots. 



Iramediatelj- 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 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 

 Tip, Jf the trees have been out of the ground for a long time, and have become dry and 

 shriveled, they should be immersed iri water tv>^enty-four hours before planting. Fruit 

 trees sometimes remain with fresh and green branches, but with unswollen buds, till raid^ 

 summer. Instead of watering such at the roots, let the body and branches be wet every oxen- 

 Ing regularly, about sundown, with a watering jpot; this will, in nearlj- all cases, bringthem 

 into active growth. 



Shorten!ng=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 corre- 

 spond 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 

 isave many trees that otherwise would perish. 



Mulcliingo 



This is another very important matter, particularlyjin this climate, whei'e we frequent- 

 ly experience severe midsummer drouths. It .rTTTrTTTTTTTTTTTrTTTTTTTTTtTTTTTMiT.T.yTT T TTTTTTTT^ 

 consists in covering the ground about the r -iir,! >-„.. « -.qnn j 



tree with coarse litter, straw, leaves, shavings I' j. sirc._Trpes i-PcPivPfT 'tnd-iv in ^ 



in the spring, and will in most cases obviate E )v.v n J^.tnt ^f v,? P ^^^^'^^^ tma clieck ^ 



the necessity of watering the root. We can- f ^^^ Toifr? tr v T C Ch^nev ^ 



not too earnestly insist upon the momentous h louis i.i.uj>, .k v., v.nar.ej. 



Importance of mulching. We have known or- r^iiJix>uiJxi.i„ujj.i.ixiiju>LLu.>i.i^i.xiijajj.xi,ij.jui.iAiA.* 

 chards planted where more than half the number died when mulching was neglected; Avhile. 

 on the other hand, Ave have Avitnessed trees set out under the same circumstances and in 

 like manner and treated similarly, save only that they were Avell mulched, and not a single 

 one was lost; they notonly all grew, but made four times the groA\ th 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 Avithout support. 



CiiStlvating. 



When the transplanting is finished, many persons are under the impression that their 

 'work is done, and they can do nothing more for the tree. But this is a very mistaken idea. 

 It is a A^ery imi)()rlant matter to have them Avell planted, but doubl.y important to bave them 

 well cultivated afterAvards. Enveloped in Aveeds and grass. Avhat plant can flourish? What 

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



