ORCHARD AND GARDEN. 
VOL. XIII. 
MARCH, 1891. 
NO. 3. 
Ampelopsis Veltchll. 
As a climber for growing against the 
house or wall of any sort, that it may cover 
it with living verdure, there is nothing real- 
ly better than Ampelopsis tricuspidata or, 
as it is more generally called, Ampelopsis 
Veitchii. We are indebted to Japan — from 
whence we have derived so many other val- 
uable acquisi- 
tions— for it, 
and it was in- 
troduced i n 
1868. In the 
neigh borhood 
of Boston, 
Mass. , may be 
seen some 
magnifi cent 
specimens of 
the vine upon 
buildings, i t 
being planted 
quite exten- 
sively in that 
neigh borhood 
upon its intro- 
duction to this 
country. Its 
great points of 
merit seem to 
be the great 
tenacity with 
which it clings 
to wood, stone, 
brick, or, in 
fact any ma- 
terial; and its 
extreme har- 
diness. It 
forms a complete screen, covering complete- 
ly that upon which it creeps. The growth 
is rapid, vigorous and luxurious and the fol- 
iage is small and of a rich and handsome 
glossy green. The leaves lap closely upon 
each other, like scales upon a fish, and in 
the autumn they exchange their rich green 
for the more brilliant and gorgeous shades 
of crimson, red and yellow. In the illus- 
stration here presented Ampelopsis Veitchii 
is shown very naturally, covering closely 
the walls of the house to which it clings. 
It has become very popular for this purpose 
and has quite superceded the old Virginia 
Creeper, A. quinquefolia. It is propagated 
by cuttings and layers, and makes nice 
plants when raised from seed. Planted 
about the trunks of old trees it rapidly cov- 
ers them with a beautiful mantle of chang- 
ing color. 
When to'Plant Evergreens. 
There has been considerable difference in 
opinion as to what is the best time to trans- 
plant evergreens, and it has been said re- 
peatedly that there is scarcely a time in the 
whole year when evergreens may not be 
planted with success if only ordinary care 
be exercised. We have always found late 
spring planting as good as any, care being 
always taken to keep the roots moist. Mr. 
William C. Strong in his paper on Ever- 
green Trees, read recently before the Mass. 
Horticultural Society, referred to this ques- 
tion and we give the following extracts 
from his address. 
The impression prevails that there is more 
risk with them than with deciduous trees, 
Ampelopsis veitchii. Fig. 158. 
and this is undoubtedly true when trees of 
a considerable size are taken. Their very 
name indicates that evergreens are always 
in leaf, and consequently there is an imme- 
diate draft upon the resources of the tree af- 
ter planting. It is essential, therefore, that 
there should be immediate root action to 
supply this demand. It is thus evident that 
fall is not a favorable time for planting. 
Undoubtedly there are many instances 
where trees with more or less earth have 
been removed late in the fall which have 
lived. But in our climate there is little 
or no root action from November until May, 
and hence the tax upon the tree late planted 
and exposed to the drying winds of winter 
and early spring, is very great and frequent- 
ly fatal. There is a very general agree- 
ment among planters that early spring is 
also an objectionable time. The ground in 
March or April is usually wet and the root 
action must necessarly be very sluggish, and 
unable to supply the increasing demand 
from evaporation. But in the month of 
May the ground has become warmer and 
all the organs of the tree are excited 
into activity. It has been found by uni- 
form experience that a most suitable time 
for removal is just as the buds begin to 
swell and indications of returning life ap- 
pear. There is sap enough stored in the 
tree to sustain it until the speedy action of 
the roots will continue the supply. Conse- 
quently the great bulk of this work is done 
in our latitude in the month of May. There 
is the serious objection that the inevitable 
shock consequent upon removal occurs just 
at the time 
when the tree 
is coming in- 
to its active 
growth. It is 
therefore t o 
be expected 
that this 
growth is en- 
feebled and 
the appear- 
ance of the 
tree affected 
the first year. 
If a hot, dry 
spell occurs in 
June the evap- 
oration from 
the young 
growth is ex- 
cessive and 
losses fre- 
quently occur. 
Still, it was 
repeated that 
May is the 
month for re- 
movals. Is it 
the only 
month? 
For many 
years he has advocated the month of August 
as a suitable time and an extensive exper- 
ience has confirmed this opinion. In 1871 
he had about forty thousand spruce, arbor 
vitae and pine trees, varying from two to 
six feet in height, which he decided to re- 
move in August. That month and the subse- 
quent Fall of the experiment proved to be 
exceptionalty hot and dry, yet in the face 
of a broiling August and early September 
sun for week after week the trees were 
transferred without the aid of any water or 
mulch to assist them. In November follow- 
ing he had the pleasure of taking up sever- 
al of the trees and finding the very abun- 
dant formation of new roots. The success 
was so complete on so large a scale, and un- 
der what would be considered adverse cir- 
cumstances, that he has ever since consid- 
ered the question as settled. 
