THE planter's GUIDE. 



213 



depth of one half at least of the whole nucleus, or mass of 

 roots and earth under tlie collar, whatever that maj be, 

 so as to compose a bank sufficient to support it. Hence 

 the bank raised, if properly executed, will furnish such 

 resistance to the action of the top that a stout man, on 

 applying himself to the transverse ropes, will find some 

 difficulty in displacing the root, even with such a lever as the 

 stem must afford him, and sometimes he will be altogether 

 unable to displace it. When the resistance is found uni- 

 form on all sides — which should be often and carefully 

 tried — and particularly on the northeast or lee quarter, 

 little more can be done for the stability of the plant. If 

 roots of such stiffness and streng-th interfere as cannot be 

 put aside during the above process, the best way is to 

 bolster and ram them separately underneath, and espe- 

 cially at that part where they issue from the nucleus of 

 the mass. 



It has been directed in the foregoing section that a 

 ball of earth, as large as can be procured round the stem, 

 shall always be left undisturbed in the taking up. Should 

 the weight not be excessive, and that it can be got to 

 extend so as nearly to meet the retaining bank, the work 

 may be considered as very perfectly executed ; because 

 then no interstitial vacuities will exist in a region of the 

 root of all the most liable to suffer from drought, dming 

 the first season. Should that prove impossible, from the 

 hghtness of the soil or the want of adhesiveness in the 

 greensward, mould finely pulverised, and in as dry a state 

 as possible, should in large subjects be let fall into such 

 vacuities as appear, until, by a repeated supply of the 

 mould and water alternately, the interstices be filled up. 

 By this mode of management, while the completest solid- 

 ity is given to the whole, the finer ramifications of the 



