TRANSPLANTING AND PLANTING. 



323 



if the plants are large, a second watering is sometimes necessary ; but in 

 ordinary-sized plants, one watering is quite sufficient ; and after remaining 

 twenty-four hours, more or less, according to the nature of the soil, the 

 earth about the stem, and over the roots, should be trodden as firm as pos- 

 sible ; and, after treading, should be dressed with a rake. Where this is 

 practised, and the planting done in winter, in cloudy weather, there is 

 scarcely a chance of any dry weather afterwards injuring them; but if this 

 method, or something similar, is not practised, there will be a great risk of 

 failure every year, in planting evergreens, particularly when they are 

 planted at the usual times recommended ; that is, in spring or autumn." 

 Mr. McNab recommends " always to water evergreens when planted, whe- 

 ther the work be done in wet weather, dull weather, or dr}^ ; or whether 

 the situation in which they are planted is wet or dry, sheltered or exposed ; 

 because the watering, in the manner recommended, fills up the holes that 

 may be in the earth about the roots, and- consolidates the whole mass much 

 better than treading could do." In tenacious soils, treading is positively 

 injurious ; and in no case should the soil be rendered more compact than 

 it is found to be in ground that has been a few weeks trenched. 



720. Transplanting Evergreens with halls. — In transplanting evergreens it 

 is desirable to leave as much earth about the roots as possible ; but when 

 treated in the way recommended, the greater part of the earth that may be 

 about the roots is of importance, rather in preserving them from injury dur- 

 ing the operation, than for any value it may have after the plant has been 

 put into the ground. This is, however, speaking of ordinary-sized plants, 

 that is, from one to two and a half, or three feet high ; if much larger than 

 this, Mr. McNab " never could move them with success, without keeping a 

 large ball of earth about their roots, and keeping it as entire as possible." — 

 {Hints, S^c, p. 26. ) 



721. The machines and implements for transplanting large shrubs with balls 

 need not be on such a large scale as those for transplanting large trees. Those 

 used by Mr. Pratt, already mentioned, are, a hand-barrow formed of sheet- 

 iron, of which fig. 258, a, represents the upper side, 6, the under side, and c. 



Fig. 258. Machine for transplanting large shrubs with balls. 



a longitudinal section ; a pick, c?, like that used by Sir Henry Steuart ; a truck 

 with low wheels ; and a common hand-barrow, with wooden levers and 

 planks. There are three sizes of the sheet-iron hand-barrow, viz., four feet, 

 by two feet six inches ; three feet, by one foot nine inches ; and two feet two 

 inches, by one foot three inches ; they are all rounded at the corners, a little 



