THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE OF AMERICA 
269 
becoming- water-logged. With one or two exceptions 
tree roots will not work in a sour soil and water about 
them in a free state for any length of time is absolute 
poison. 
The area of the hole should be large enough to take 
all the roots at their fullest spread and a couple of feet 
beyond. The bottom of the hole should be well broken 
up and if the subsoil is of very poor quality a foot or so 
can be taken out and replaced with good sweet top soil 
which may be still further enriched by adding a pound of 
coarse ground liones to each bushel, which will provide 
food for the tree in after years. 
Care must be taken to see that the roots are not placed 
at a greater depth than they were in their original posi- 
tion. Doubtless as many trees are killed by reason of 
teing planted too deeply than from any other one rea- 
son. As soon as the tree has been placed in the hole it 
should be guyed. Generally four guys are sufficient and 
they should be strong enough to withstand the force of 
the most exceptional wind storms. The guys should be 
attached to the tree separately by being run through a 
piece of rubber hose. They are more conveniently af- 
fixed to the tree when it is in an inclined position upon 
the truck. Strong stakes of good sound material firmly 
placed in the ground should be provided, which, for 
large trees with heavy tops, must partake more of the 
nature of posts. The guys should remain in position at 
least two years. Before untying and spreading all the 
roots, soil should be first well packed under and close 
around the ball; if there is no ball, then the roots near 
the trunk should be first dealt with and then all the others 
carefully spread out. Good sweet top soil should be used 
which may be enriched by the addition of leaf mold, that 
formed by the decay of leaves of the same species or genus 
"being preferable. Smooth pointed sticks are good things 
to firm the soil amongst the roots and washing soil in by 
water from a hose is a usual method. If no water 
supply under pressure is available it can be hauled to 
the sijot either in a water wagon or in barrels, as it is 
important to thoroughly soak the soil around the roots 
while the covering process is going on. 
It is an advantage to so arrange matters that when 
the covering of the roots is completed to a proper depth, 
the finished surface is two or three inches below the 
level of the surrounding ground and of a saticer-like 
grade. This will confine the water that may be from 
time to time applied to where it is most wanted : it also 
leaves room for the mulch which must be applied as 
soon as planting is completed and also for the addition 
of some rich compost in after years if necessary. 
There is not considered to be any advantage in cover- 
ing the roots with a soil highly enriched with stable 
manure, in fact, we believe it to be a disadvantage, es- 
pecially in the case of conifers. Root action will com- 
mence sooner and go on more rapidly in an ordinary 
sweet top soil than in one which is e.xtremely rich and 
therefore likely to be more or less sour. After root 
action has become renewed and thoroughly established 
we can feed as much as we like from the surface. 
A good material for mulching, which should be about 
six inches thick and extend a yard beyond the roots, is 
half rotted leaves, or in the case of conifers pine needles 
are preferable. Failing these, salt hay or coarse strawy 
stable manure may be used. Mulching not only keeps 
the roots cool and prevents the evaporation of moisture 
•during dry and hot weather but helps to keep out the 
frost during the winter. Root action undoubtedly goes 
on in connection with all trees at all seasons, except when 
the ground is frozen or completely dried out around them. 
This point of drying out opens up the question of 
watering. Bringing" the soil into close contact with the 
roots by means of water as noted above will provide for 
the tree's requirements in the way of water for a little 
time after planting. Sometimes the question is asked, 
"How often should a newly planted tree be watered?" 
To this there is only one answer, "As often as is neces- 
sary." Watering must be thoroughly done so that the 
soil is saturated down to the lowest roots, merely wet- 
ting an inch or two of the top soil is waste of time. If 
the application of water is carried out in the proper 
manner, once in ten days may be sufficient, but the soil 
should be examined from time to time to ascertain its 
condition as to dryness. I have never heard of a tree 
being killed by over watering, although if the drainage 
is imperfect this is possible; there is, however, little doubt 
that thousands have been allowed to die of thirst. Dur- 
ing dry hot weather newly planted trees derive much 
benefit by being sprayed with water towards the end of 
the day. The soil around the roots sh<iuld never be 
allowed to dry out at any season, although there are 
some who consider that watering is unnecessary after 
the growing period is past. But I believe that it is a 
mistake to have trees enter the winter with their roots in 
a dry condition, and this is of vital importance in con- 
nection with evergreens. 
Pruning deciduous trees after transplanting is gener- 
ally more or less necessary to reinstate the balance be- 
tween the roots and the top and pruning assists the roots 
in keeping up the vitality of the tree. A larger quantity 
of wood is required to be removed from trees that have 
been root-pruned than in the case of those taken up with 
a spread of roots thirty or forty feet in diameter. A 
convenient time to do some of the pruning is when the 
tree is inclined upon the truck as then the extreme top^can 
be more easily got at, and it is here that the greatest 
amount of wood should be removed. If very severe prun- 
ing is not necessary the previous year's growth only 
may be cut away. Sometimes the pruning can take the 
form of removing a few of the branches entirely, es- 
pecially those which cross others. No hard and fast 
rule can be made in this connection ; each tree should 
be treated according to its individual requirements. When 
a tree does not make the growth it should during the 
season after transplanting, pruning it back still more 
will increase its vitality. Evergreen conifers are not 
pruned but they are benefited by being shaded ; this pro- 
cedure is desirable in connection with the Hemlock. 
Protecting the trunks of thin barked trees will greatly 
assist them in recovering from the shock of removal. 
Straight rye straw is the best material to use for wrap- 
ping and it should be allowed to remain on for two years. 
During the first year after transplanting, root action 
will, if all has gone well, have become reestablished and 
if proper soil has been used this will have afforded 
sufficient food for the tree's requirements. Just before 
the time for the second year's growth to commence food 
should be given, which may be in the form of the mix- 
ture suggested above. 
From what has been said it will be gathered that the 
convalescent stage of a transplanted tree should be con- 
sidered as lasting at least two years, but it must not after 
then be entirely neglected. Feeding and watering are 
always in order and many old established trees may be 
frequently greatly improved in health by kindness in 
in these directions. 
Theoretically, it cannot be considered impossible to 
transjilant large trees of any species. Greater risk is 
probably attendant to moving the Magnolia, Tulip Tree 
and Beech than any, but success in all cases is only 
achieved by the exercise of the -greatest possible skill 
before and during the operation and attentive care and 
nursing during convalescence. 
