nicol's planter's calendar. 179 



was the great superficial exposure of the leaves eva- 

 porating faster than the fractiu*ed torpid roots af- 

 forded supply. Therefore, although winter plant- 

 ing seldom fails, yet it is perhaps better to seize the 

 exact time in spring, immediately before the roots 

 commence to strike anew, before there is any new 

 top-growth, and while the soil and aii* remain some- 

 what moist and cold, that the evaporation may not 

 be too great. In this climate, April is a good sea- 

 son for removing evergreens to the field, although, to 

 throw the work from the busy season, it is often 

 practised in the nursery in September, when their 

 annual growths are completed, and while there is 

 yet warmth to enable the roots to strike anew ; this, 

 however, is only ad\dsable where the soil for their 

 reception is in the most favourable state, friable, and 

 inclining to moist, or when there is great indication 

 of rain, and the air near the dew point. Of course 

 they require to be planted as soon as extracted. In 

 winter or spring, when it happens that evergreens 

 must lie in the shough, the most protected situation, 

 where the air is moist and still, ought to be chosen, 

 and the earth carefully closed to their roots, which 

 is best done by watering, if rain be not expected ; 

 the stems and branches should also lie as close to the 

 ground as possible. 



