204 CULTUllE x\ND MANAGEMENT OF OAK. 



ing them to another situation, precludes every doubt 

 that might arise, were they so removed, as to their 

 being on an equal footing, as far as regards strength 

 and quality of soil, with those not transplanted, and 

 their close juxtaposition with the latter, renders it a 

 matter of the greatest facility to ascertain their 

 comparative growth. The space, too, allowed the 

 plants, which much exceeds that generally given in 

 the nursery, will admit of the experiment being 

 carried on, for several years, without inconvenience. 



To be convinced, therefore, of the bad eflPects of 

 transplanting, nothing farther vail be necessary 

 than to watch the future progress of these trans- 

 planted and untransplanted oaks. During the 

 droughts of June and J uly, a number of the former 

 will go off or die, notwithstanding that the greatest 

 care may have been taken in planting them ; and 

 by the time of the fall of the leaf, the difference be- 

 tween the survivors and those which were not trans- 

 planted will be so striking, as hardly to escape the 

 notice even of the most careless observer. While 

 the latter will have made strong upright shoots of 

 from twelve to eighteen inches, according to the 

 poorness or richness of the soil, the former will have 

 made no progress at all in the direction of the lead- 

 er, (which transplanting indeed generally destroys) ; 



