378 



HARDY FRUIT GARDEN. 



Mr M'Nab's tree-lifting machine, fig. 139. — Two 

 wheels, much stronger, and about a foot higher 

 than those of an ordinary [ cart, are fixed to a 

 pair of strong shafts similar to those in a brewer's 

 dray, kept together by a bar of timber 6 inches 

 by 3, placed about 18 inches in front of the 

 wheels. Under the bar, and along under those 

 parts of the shafts forming the body of the ma- 

 chine, is bolted on a bar of iron, 3 inches by 1 

 inch, and at the centre of the body of the machine 

 are forged on to this bar two sockets in which 

 the axles of the wheels work, for there is no axle 

 extending across from wheel to wheel as in 

 ordinary two-wheeled carriages. A similar bar 

 of iron is bolted on to the inside and outside of 

 the frame for greater strength. At front, and 

 also at back of the carriage, so as to be clear of 

 the wheels, are placed two wooden cylinders or 

 rollers, 6 inches in diameter ; the outside ones 

 are wrought with short iron hand-spikes, and 

 the two inside ones by a winch at each end, and 

 they are also furnished with a rack-and-pinion 

 catch to keep them in their place when fully 

 wound up. At the back part of the carriage is 

 a double iron bolt, which ties the back ends of 

 the carriage together, and whieh can be tightened 

 up by a screw at each end. This bolt answers the 

 purpose of an ordinary cross-axle, which latter 

 could not be used, as it would cross the carriage 

 at the exact point where the stem of the tree is 

 to be placed. In loading the tree or shrub, the 

 ball is prepared as in ordinary cases ; two strong 

 planks are laid from side to side of the trench 

 which surrounds the ball, the two hind rollers 

 and the double iron bolt are removed, the car- 

 riage is then pushed backwards, the wheels 

 running on the two planks, until the trunk 

 of the tree or centre of the shrub is, as near as 

 can be calculated, in the exact centre of the car- 

 riage. The hind rollers and double iron bar are 

 then put in their places, the latter being screwed 

 up as tight as possible to keep the wheels from 

 spreading, which they have little chance of doing, 

 on account of the great strength of the frame- 

 work. Several narrow pieces of stout plank, 

 and of equal lengths, are then pushed as far 

 under the ball from the two opposite sides as 

 can conveniently be done, and from the two 

 opposite sides are pushed in as near to one-third 

 of the diameter of the ball, each, as can be, two 

 strong 24-inch cable ropes, the ends of which 

 are brought up to the rollers, and introduced 

 under the one and over the other, and so made 

 fast to the outer ones. The two rollers at each 

 end of the carriage are then set in motion, the 

 outer ones by the short iron handspikes, and 

 the two inner ones by the crank-handles. By 

 continuing the process of winding-up, the cable 

 is, of course, shortened, and as it is, it carries up 

 with it the ball in a very easy and gradual man- 

 ner, the thick pieces of plank introduced under 

 it preventing it from sinking into the ball, or 

 injuring the roots. When the ball is elevated 

 sufficiently high to be free from the ground, 

 the hole may be filled in, and horses put to the 

 machine, one in the shafts, and two abreast as 

 leaders, if the tree is so large as to require them ; 

 one, however, or in general two, are found 

 sufficient to remove a tree weighing, includ- 



ing the ball, from two to three tons. Horse- 

 power, however, depends a good deal on the 

 ground the machine has to pass over. If the tree 

 is very high, guide-ropes are necessary to keep it 

 in a perpendicular direction, to assist in passing 

 through amongst other trees, and more especially 

 in assisting to plant it in a proper state when 

 placed in its new situation. When the tree has 

 arrived at the place of its destination, all that is 

 requiredisto place the two strong planks formerly 

 used alongthe two sides of the pit,andto draw the 

 machine over it, stopping when the ball is exactly 

 over the spot where it is to be placed. The wheels 

 being blocked, and the horses removed, all that 

 is to be done is to begin uncoiling the cable by 

 reversing the motion of the rollers. When the 

 ball is set down, the short planks placed under 

 it are to be removed, and the cable pulled out. 

 Our machine, made of the very best materials 

 and workmanship, cost £25. It has been in use 

 eleven years, and has not required the least re- 

 pair. It is capable of removing trees to any 

 distance : we once brought a tree to Dalkeith 

 from the neighbourhood of Glasgow, 46 miles, 

 with one horse, with the greatest ease. Two- 

 wheeled carnages are much more convenient 

 for transplanting trees than four-wheeled ones, 

 on account of the less space required for turn- 

 ing, and hence are better adapted for being 

 taken into thick plantations, and for traversing 

 drives, walks, and rides, which often have very 

 acute curves. 



Mr Barron s large tree-lifting machine. — Al- 

 though illustrated by three very good woodcuts 

 in " The British Winter Garden," the letterpress 

 description of this machine is rather too brief to 

 be clearly understood. This ponderous machine 

 consists of two parts, each mounted on a pair of 

 massive broad-tired wheels. The fron t part is 

 furnished with shafts, constructed so as to give 

 the greatest degree of strength, being without 

 mortice or tenon. The hinder part has a short 

 pole behind, to which horses may be attached to 

 draw it backwards when detached from the front 

 part. Both these parts are furnished above the 

 axle with thick bolsters or bearers, and are con- 

 nected together by two strong oak beams trussed 

 with iron rods, 21 feet long, which serve for 

 bearers to support the tree in a perpendicular 

 position. The carriage is allowed as much lock 

 as possible, and the whole fitted together with 

 bolts and nuts, which in a few minutes can be 

 taken to pieces at any part, separating the front 

 and hind wheels in order to place the carriage 

 with the greatest facility in a proper position for 

 placing the tree upon it, as well as for lowering 

 it in its new situation. The platform upon which 

 the ball of the tree rests, and which is portable, 

 and placed under the ball before it is removed 

 from its original place, is suspended from the 

 two long bearers by ten strong chains, the 

 whole being raised by a screw-jack, and sus- 

 pended sufficiently high for travelling ; six of 

 the ten chains are stronger than the others, the 

 links being |-inch iron. " Each of the chains 

 must have a strong ring at one end, and a hook 

 at the other : two of these are termed lifting- 

 chains, one at each end of the poles for the 

 screw-jack to lift by ; the other four strong 



