Harrison's Nvirseries, Berlin, ^d. 



DIRECTIONS rOR 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 Xursentnan, and as a large proportion of the trees that are lost for the want of 

 proper treatment, we desire to ofifer a few hints upon the subject of'transplanting, pruning, etc. 



Transplanting. 



The proper season for transplanting fruit trees is during the months of October, November and Decem- 

 ber, 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 gi\nng the 

 ground an opportunity to become firmly settled around the roots during the winter, so that the trees will be 



readj^ to grow off without interruption at the first impulse 

 i5**yfr«ry*Trf*¥***T?**irr«-*r*rp*****«r«r;f^^ of nature in the spring. The ground should be well pre- 



£ -r^ . ^ r J. ■ ^ J. 1 ^ J. ^A pared by at least two good ploughings. Let sub-soil plow 



t It IS a waste of material to plant out | ^^^^^^ f^ ^^^ furrow of the othir, loosening up the earth 



^ an orchard unless the ground is well pre- J ^^ ^^^ ^epth of twelve to eighteen inches. We consider 

 ^ parea. ^ ^j^jg j^j^ich better than the usual mode of digging deep 



K**A****A***^*********^******A**^*******AAA^***s holes, which in tenacious clay will 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 b}^ 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 suffi- 

 ciently large to admit the roots, giving them their natural position as near as practicable. Use the surface 

 soil fo'r filling in, ha\-ing it first well pulverized. If it is not rich, add good mould to make it so: that found 

 immediately under the leaves in the woods is verv' good for the purpose. Avoid deep planting, for it is de- 

 cidedly 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 tKe Roots* 

 Immediately before planting, all the bruised or wounded parts should be pared off smoothly, to pre- 

 vent decay, and to enable them to heal over by granulations during the growth of the tree. Then dip them 

 in a bed of m id, which will coat every part evenly, and leave no poition in contact with the air, which, acci- 

 dentallv, 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 ser\'iceable. I,et there be a few quarts poured in wnile the hole is filling 

 up. If the trees have been out of the ground for a long time, and have become dr\- and shriveled, they 

 should be immersed in water twentv-four hours before planting. Fruit trees sometimes remain with fresh 

 and green branches, but with unswoflen buds, till midsummer. 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. 



SKortening-in tKe 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 por- 

 tion of Its roots, a severe shortening-in the branches will be necessar\^; if only a small portion of the roots 

 has been cut off, more moderate pruning will be suflBcient. Particular attention to this matter will save 

 many trees that otherwise would perish. 



MxxlcKing'. 



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

 severe midsummer drouths. 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 ob\4ate the necessity of watering the root. We cannot too earnestly insist 

 upon the momentous importance of mulching. We have known orchards planted where more than half the 

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

 the same circumstances and in like manner and treated similarly, save only that they we^e well mulched, 

 and not a single one was lost; they not only all grew, but made tour 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 suffi- 

 ciently rooted to stand without support. 



Prvining. 



We recommend the greatest care and moderation in this operation, believing, as we do, that upon the 

 whole there is more injury done by the use of pruning instruments in unskillful hands than would result 

 from its entire neglect. Some of the objects sought are to diminish the thick growth, to increase the vigor 

 of the branches, to admit light and air, and to form a 



well-shaped top. We are opposed to the too common !ffrrrrr*T?»^r?*^*^*^*Trrrfr?***-*»??*r*T?rfT**^r?» 

 practice of trimming up trees as high as a man's head, J 2 



leaving a long, naked stem exposed to the ravages of in- jj "From labor cometh rest." Nothing * 

 sects and the deleteroius effects of sun and wind, as well J worth the having is to be had for nothing. 2 

 as other .sudden and extreme changes of the atmosphere. ^ It may not seem work to keep up a good 2 

 If a tree be allowed to branch near the ground, its danger | orchard, but it will bring its own reward. 2 

 from these ills will be lessened, and it will grow much iai^*i^**-**-tA*i-*AAA.SA.t4-ML**.**-SAAjL*A.«L*A.sjL**^^ 

 stronger and faster, bear more fruit, which will be more 



easily gathered, less liable to be blown down, and we may add, better in everv wav. If watched closely 

 when young and growing, it will never become necessary to take off large lim'bs. Occasional pinching or 

 cropping off of the ends of the branches to gi-e the tree the proper shape, and remo\-ing those that cross or 



crowd each other, will be all that will be needed by most 

 Kr?rrrfrrr?rf?*?T*Trf»Trf5-*rfyfrrr?r*r??*?^f*TrfS! trees. Peach trees would be greatly benefitted bv "an an- 

 i Prune fruit trees, as too large and too I ^^^^^f'^^^^^^"!^^'^" ?t ^^r ^''^"''^f ' say one-half of the 



I thick heads are to be avoided 4 ^n'r^y^^ Vu hl'^^T'^)'' ^I'-f,^''^' }^ ^''''^ ^^ ^""^ ^}^^ 



5 ^ Vi alter the fall of the leaf until the buds commence swelling 



************************************************ in the spring. Dwarf pears also need careful attention 



annually, to keep them in shape, bv cutting back the 

 rampant and straggling shoots; they should be pruned down instead of up. never allowing them to grow 

 high, or the top will become too heavy for the roots, and increase the danger of blowing down. 



Cultivating. 



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 very important matter 



