10 
IMPORTANCE OF EARLY PLANTING THIS SPRING- 
ours, the effects of an arid summer is not so visible on plants the succeeding" spring'. 
The great humidity we are subject to, the constant chang-e of temperature, tog-ether 
with the thermometer being for days as hig-h as fifty-five and sixty degrees, induces 
an early developement of the vegetable functions and particularly so in plants, the 
energies of which were prematurely stopped the preceding season. In an extensive 
tour which we made in December through a great part of the south and west of 
England an early disposition of growth was most conspicuous. In some very shel- 
tered situations buds had made a movement for expansion. We need hardly inform 
our readers that this premature disposition to grow is anything but favourable to 
the plant; on the contrary, it will be the means of increasing the injury done last 
summer by the too sudden termination of growth. From a pretty long experience 
of all kinds of planting, we are convinced that all trees and shrubs should be 
transplanted when they are in a dormant state ; indeed, a little common sense 
and reasoning would convince the greatest novice in these matters ; and that to 
move a plant after it has commenced growing is a sure means of destroying part of 
its vital functions, and weakening its future efforts in a much greater degree than 
w^hen the plant is in a state of rest; transplanting before the wood is ripe in 
autumn is as injurious as transplanting late in the spring. About three years since, 
we had occasion to remove some young apricot trees very early in the autumn ; the 
work was performed as carefully as possible, reserving nearly all the fibres, every 
attention was paid to watering, but with all this attention the upper parts of 
the shoots began to shrivel in about a fortnight ; and when the trees pushed 
forth the following spring they grew very weakly, and continued through the 
season in a very precarious state. I think the removal took place about the 20th 
of September. Now it is quite evident that these trees were injured by being 
removed before the leaves had shown a disposition to fall on being transplanted, 
there was no supply to support the continued exhaustion which is continually per- 
formed by the leaves. We have therefore found it an excellent practice to take off 
all leaves from trees when they are removed late in the autumn. We do not re- 
commend a plant to be moved at all until it is in a dormant state, but sometimes it 
is obliged to be done in extensive alterations. It is very easy to know when a 
deciduous plant is ready for rem.oval, by holding the shoot and drawing the hand 
gently upwards, if the plant is in a state fit for removal, the leaves will readily 
separate from the shoot. In some small plants of birch, hornbeam, &c., the leaves 
turn of a copper colour, but do not separate from the plants ; when leaves are thus 
changed in colour they may with equal propriety be removed, as they have ceased to 
circulate the juices of the plant. Every tree or shrub that it is to be planted this 
spring should be taken up by the first week in the present month, and if it is not 
convenient to plant them immediately they may be preserved in some cool shady 
situation, which will retard the advancing sap considerably. We should always 
recommend plants to be put in their permanent situation as soon after they are 
taken up as possible ; when they have not to be removed far, as much earth as can be 
conveniently got up with the plants will be of great advantage. 
