PREPARING THE SOIL. 
43 
food ; and that the chance of complete success is lessened, by 
every one of these points that is braised or destroyed. If we 
could remove trees with every fibre entire, as we do a plant in 
a pot, they would scarcely show any sign of their change of posi- 
tion. In most cases, especially in that of trees taken from 
nurseries, this is, by the operation of removal, nearly impos- 
sible. But although we may not hope to get every root entire, 
we may, with proper care, preserve by far the larger portion of 
them, and more particularly the small and delicate fibres. After 
being taken up, they should be planted directly ; or, if this can- 
not be done, they should be kept from drying by a covering of 
mats, and when sent to a distance by being packed in damp moss.* 
Preparing the places. Here is the fatal stumbling block of 
all novices and ignorant persons in transplanting. An English 
gardener, when he is about to plant fruit trees, talks about pre- 
paring his borders , an American says he will dig his holes; and 
we cannot give a more forcible illustration of the ideas of two 
persons as to the wants of a fruit tree, or a better notion of the 
comparative provision made to supply these wants, than by con- 
trasting the two phrases themselves. The one looks upon a tree 
as a living being, whose life is to be rendered long, vigorous, and 
fruitful by a good supply of food, and a soil mellow and easily 
penetrated by the smallest fibre; the other considers it very 
much in the light of a Truncheon or a post, which he thrusts 
into the smallest possible hole, and supplies witL. the least portion 
of manure, trusting to what he seems to believe the inextinguish- 
able powers of nature to make roots and branches under any 
circumstances. It is true that the terms differ somewhat from 
the nature of the culture and the greater preparation necessary 
in planting fruit trees in England, but this is not by any means 
sufficient to justify the different modes of performing the same 
operation there and here. 
In truth, in this country, where the sun and climate are so 
favorable, where pruning and training are comparatively so 
little necessary, the great requisite to success in the ordinary 
culture of fruit trees is the proper preparation of the soil before 
a tree is planted. Whether a transplanted tree shall struggle 
several years to recover, or grow moderately after a short time, 
or at once start into a very luxuriant and vigorous growth, de- 
pends entirely upon the amount of care and labour the planter is 
willing to bestow on the soil for his trees. We have seen seve- 
ral instances where, side by side, one man planted his trees in 
large spaces of deeply moved and rich soil, and another in 
^ ¥e should notice an important exception to this in the case of trees 
packed for shipping across the Atlantic. In this case they should be 
packed only in dry moss ; the moisture of the sea air being sufficient to 
keep the roots in good condition, while if packed in damp moss they will 
be injured by rotting or excessive growth. 
