310 
PARK AND CEMETERY 
The Tr ansplanting of 
The increased knowledge of, and expe- 
rience in, moving large trees has resulted 
in a large degree of success and safety, 
enabling the immediate production of ef- 
fects in landscape plantings which other- 
wise could only be attained at the end of 
a long period of years. The appreciation 
of the effects thus rapidly produced has 
proven a strong stimulus in the develop- 
ment of this branch of horticulture, and 
at the present time many landscape gar- 
deners and nurserymen are successfully 
moving trees 18-24 inches in diameter and 
30-50 feet high. In order to achieve the 
desired results emphasis must he laid upon 
possession of proper equipment, thorough 
knowledge of tree structure, its require- 
ments, and time of moving of specific in- 
dividuals, as well as provision for thor- 
ough drainage for the newly transplanted 
trees. 
The accompanying illustrations and de- 
scriptive matter from a recent bulletin of 
the Missouri Botanical Garden offer many 
valualde suggestions to tree movers. 
Large trees are moved either by digging 
them with a large ball of earth in which 
many fibrous roots are contained or by 
loosening the majority of the roots to their 
full length and lifting the tree without 
any soil. The deciduous trees may be 
moved in either manner, but the evergreens 
can be transplanted successfully only by 
digging with a large ball, due to the fact 
that they are never actually dormant. The 
former are best moved during their dor- 
mant season, in the fall, winter, or spring, 
depending upon the different kinds. For 
an example, it is not advisable to move 
sweet-gum (Liquidambar styracidtia) , tu- 
lip tree (Liriodendron tulipifera), various 
magnolias, holly (Ilex opaca), bald cy- 
press (Taxodium distichum), etc., in the 
fall or winter, because in order to thrive 
these trees must start new growth imme- 
diately upon transplanting. On the other 
hand, elms (Ldmus), maples (Acer), oaks 
(Quercus), ashes (Fraxinus), etc., may 
be moved at any time during the dormant 
period. The evergreens may be moved 
either early in the spring or early in the 
fall, though successful transplanting has 
been accomplished at other times of the 
year. In fact, with great and painstaking 
care both the deciduous trees and the ever- 
greens may be moved while in the full 
growing condition during the summer. 
There are several ways of moving trees 
with a ball. A number of different tree- 
moving machines are employed, or for lack 
of these a stone wagon may be used for 
medium-sized trees. The ball of the tree 
is dug in accordance with the specific re- 
quirements of the machine in use. The 
operations involved for one type of ma- 
chine are as follows : A heavy truck with 
a boom or pole attached (often called “the 
gun" ) is lashed to the tree by means of 
chains, which are tightened with a ratchet 
attachment, the tree having been previously 
padded with straw bags at points of fasten- 
ing. At the bottom of the truck is located 
a step-like structure which fits into a trench 
dug 2 feet away from the trunk of the 
tree and acts as a brace in bringing the 
tree out of the hole into a horizontal posi- 
tion. This arrangement necessitates the 
digging of an uneven ball which is only 
2 feet wide on one side while it may be 
8-10 feet on the other. Care should be 
taken to leave all fibrous roots, cutting only 
the largest which are likely to extend a 
considerable distance out. It is sometimes 
well to prepare the trees beforehand, in 
June, b}' trimming and cutting the roots at 
a proper distance from the trunk. These 
roots heal over and fill the ball with nu- 
merous fibres. The growth is further stim- 
ulated by application of manure or com- 
mercial fertilizers. Artificial watering 
must be resorted to, however, if the tree 
is to remain healthy and vigorous. 
After the trench is dug to a depth of 2 
feet and the boom of the truck attached, 
the tree is ready for tilting out of the hole. 
This is done by means of a block and pul- 
Large Trees 
ley arrangement attached to the boom and 
either to another tree or a "dead man” 
(made by sinking a log 2-3 feet in the 
ground, bracing it with iron rods, attach- 
ing a chain to which the pulley is later 
hooked, and tamping the soil thoroughly). 
The power is supplied either by a team of 
horses or by a windlass. As the tree is 
gradually lifted out of its original place, 
some of the subsoil is removed from the 
bottom with round-tined forks, while the 
wheels of the truck are blocked to prevent 
slipping. As soon as tilting to a horizontal 
position is accomplished a heavy platform 
is attached to the truck, underneath the 
ball, and to another truck with a tongue, 
the entire apparatus ser^•ing the function 
of a low wagon, the truck with the boom 
and - the tree constituting the rear end, 
while the platform acts as the body of the 
wagon. In this fashion the tree may be 
transported conveniently to its destined 
position. The hole for the tree should be 
dug somewhat larger in diameter than the 
ball, but no deeper, as the original depth of 
the roots must be secured. If the subsoil 
is of hard pan or heavy clay extremely re- 
tentive of moisture, a tile drain should be 
laid a foot below the bottom of the hole 
to provide proper drainage. If this is 
neglected death of the tree may result, due 
to excessive moisture causing acidity of 
the soil and subsequent rotting of the roots. 
If it is impracticable to lay a tile drain a 
makeshift arrangement may be made by 
scooping out a hole at one side of the tree 
hole and running a tile pipe to the surface, 
through w'hich the excess water may be 
pumped out as rapidly as it accumulates. 
Poor drainage may be ameliorated also by 
breaking up the subsoil with 3-4 charges of 
V 2 stick each of 20-40 per cent dynamite. 
As soon as the hole is ready, two stout 
planks are placed over the opening at the 
same distance apart as the w'heels of the 
front truck. The tree mover is then driven 
over these planks just far enough to place 
the ball in the exact position where it is to 
remain. The wheels of the back truck are 
blocked, the boom is again connected with 
a block and pulley to a convenient post or 
tree, while the front truck with the board 
forming the body are detached and the 
planks taken up. This leaves the tree at- 
tached to the boom of the back truck at the 
edge of the hole, into which it is lowered 
by means of block and pulley, the boom 
later being disconnected and removed. 
Good soil should be filled around the roots, 
well tamped, and watered to produce close 
contact between the feeding roots and the 
enveloping soil particles which is so neces- 
sary for proper re-establishment of the 
tree. Generally, for the first year or two, 
it is necessary to anchor trees to prevent 
blowing over and to wrap the trunk with 
straw rope to avoid excessive transpiration 
PREPARING TO MOVE A LARGE TREE. 
