313 
THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 
■with certain plants be ventured upon with perfect safety. Ever- 
greens, as before hinted, afford much more scope for variation in the 
periods of removal than deciduous shrubs and trees. It would be 
difficult to name a month in the whole year when some of them may 
not be transplanted with succe?s. Much will, however, of course 
depend upon the condition of the individual to be removed. If it 
has occupied its situation for a series of years, and has consequently 
become coarse rooted, it is hardly a fit subject to be transplanted in 
summer. In fact, such a plant would require very careful treat- 
ment if removed at the best of all seasons, autumn, and under the 
most favourable circumstances to give it a chance of success. Plants 
so circumstanced mostly require a special course of education to fit 
them for a change of place when advisable to transplant them at 
all. But such as are of a reasonable size and in a good moveable 
condition may be transplanted successfully at w idely different periods 
of the year. Thus Conifers may be transplanted safely when the 
young shoots are three or four inches long, and in a succulent state, 
provided proper precautions are taken and plenty of water given at 
the time. I recollect an instance where some hundreds were moved 
in the middle of June, and a very hot June too, with hardly the loss 
of a plant. Nor were they in the best possible condition at root 
either for such an experiment. However, circumstances rendered it 
necessary that they should be moved, and moved they accordingly 
were. Each plant as it was taken up was dipped, as described in a 
former page, and also well wetted at root when planted. The young 
shoots drooped beneath the sun for a day or two; but in the course 
of a week the plants were established, and the general result was all 
that could be desired. 
Again, in order to finish the planting of a new garden, it was 
necessary to cirry on the work far into the spring. The last plants 
removed were some common laurels, five or six feet in height. The 
ground was loose and gravelly, and prevented anything like a ball 
of earth being secured with the roots ; in fact, when each plant was 
taken up all the earth fell away, leaving the roots wholly bare. 
Great care was exercised to preserve, as far as possible, the succu- 
lent and active rootlets, which were in abundance, from injury. 
The plants were removed about the sixth of May, when the young 
shoots had pushed several inches in length ; nevertheless, not one 
plant died, nor did any receive much damage. A few showery days 
succeeded their removal, and doubtless contributed much to their 
success. If it is urged that such natural conditions can rarely be 
calculated on, and that planting at that season is consequently not 
generally practicable, it must be admitted that the results of such 
experiments teach us under what various conditions planting may 
be carried on, and that in a limited practice at least these conditions 
may, to some extent, be given artificially. 
The Evergreen Oak is perhaps one of the most difficult trees to 
transplant successfully, yet, if the proper conditions be secured it 
succeeds well enough. I once saw a number, a week or two after 
their removal, that had been transplanted in May, when their young 
shoots were an inch or two long. Hardly a plant had failed. I 
