546 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ December 27, IS?3. 
as to give plenty of room for the truck. The blocks on which the two 
lengthwise planks rest are, however, in the way, so we have to employ 
two strong oaken battens to put along the back and front, on which 
these lengthwise planks in turn rest. These battens are long enough 
to allow for blocking up securely at each of their ends, and yet 
allow space for the wheels of the truck to run in. We find it of great 
advantage to lay planks underneath the wheels, this keeping them 
from sinking into the soil when the weight of the ball is 
put upon them. It is also of advantage to lift the front of the 
ball by raising the front cross batten a few inches with a screw- 
jack, so as to allow the truck to be run in without so much 
excavating in front. The sides of the ball are cut out after 
the trunk has been put underneath the plant. A few inches clear 
at the sides is all that is required, and allows for getting thin deals 
down the sides of the balls. Such a ball as the one we are now con¬ 
sidering requires to be boarded all round and firmly bound round 
with chains. The trunk is also bound to the ball with chains and 
tight ropes to secure the top of the shrub to each corner of the 
truck. For shrubs of 12 or 15 feet in height or upwards this is 
very necessary. When ready to be removed we employ block and 
tackle for the purpose, and after it is on firm ground draw with horses. 
Two men are quite enough to excavate under the plant and pre¬ 
pare it for removal. The hole for the plant requires to be made 
sufficiently deep to allow the ball when the truck is under it to stand 
about 6 inches above the general level of the lawn where the shrub is 
placed. Before the work is finished the level of the top of the ball 
will have sunk that much. 
The work of planting is just the reverse of the lifting process. 
After the shrub is let into its place, and chains and ropes removed, the 
four ends of the bearers are again blocked up and a wedge driven 
under each so as to raise them off the truck, which is then withdrawn. 
Soil is then thrown in under the ball and made firm with wooden 
rammers. When the centre of ball is sufficiently rammed with soil, 
the two first cross-bearing planks are blocked up and the other planks 
and beams removed. 1 he soil is now rammed underneath the ball 
from the clear sides. Then the blocks are knocked out from under 
one of the remaining cross planks, which is also withdrawn, and the 
soil rammed in on that side. 1 he last plank is removed in the same 
way, and the planting finished. 
We remove all kinds of evergreens, Yews, Box, Laurels, Hollies, 
Conifers, and, with the care we take to secure large balls, have no 
after trouble with them. One good watering is generally sufficient 
in early summer to keep them going, and quite as good growths are 
made the first year of shifting as they made previously. When a 
gentleman says he would not for many pounds like a shrub damaged 
or lost in transplanting, his gardener cannot for his own sake be too 
careful in doing the work. It is a commendable plan to cut round 
two opposite sides of a ball the season previous to removal. 
In connection with transplanting shrubs it may be noted that 
valuable trees blown dov r n by gales, provided the trunk is not broken, 
are easily set up, and in a few years grov r as well as ever. After 
clearing enough soil out to allow the tree to be on the same level as 
before, a strong rope should be so tied round well up the tree as to 
allow the two ends of the rope to be grasped and pulled by two sets 
of men at the same time, the one set being a little to the left of the 
hole and the other to the right. After the tree is up and the soil 
filled in, wire stays will be required for a couple of years until the 
roots are again established. For large trees of CO feet altitude, say, 
it requires a good amount of soil to be taken out in order to let the 
trees down to their former level. The tree must then be raised with 
screw jacks woiking on the bole until a grip can be got with a rope 
working wdth block and tackle, when the w r ork goes on very rapidly. 
It is very essential to water these large trees very freely for the first 
tw T o or three years,—B. 
EXHIBITING AND KEEPING GBAPES. 
It is much to be regretted that promoters of fruit shows do 
not name the size and shape of boards or boxes upon which 
Grapes are exhibited. Nothing that we can place on exhibition 
tables creates so much interest as Grapes, yet how often do we 
see them indifferently staged ? Boxes and boards of all shapes 
and sizes, and of many angles, presenting when placed in a row 
a grotesque appearance when compared with uniform rows of 
Dahlia and other boxes which have been reduced to some sort of 
a standard. 
Some time ago I was much interested in watching the un¬ 
packing and staging of Grapes at a local show where they were 
well represented. The Grapes were a very good lot, and the 
majority of them were well staged, but owing to the different 
angles of the boarJs, some of w'hich could not well be altered, 
they did not look so well as they might have done. 
I th.nk the best and simplest form of box is that represented 
at fig. 108. The angle is 45°, and anyone can make one by the 
following directions. Get a piece of three-quarter-inch deal 
10 inches wide by 12 inches long, cut it perfectly square at both 
ends, draw a pencil mark to correspond with the dotted lines in 
fig. 109, each 1 inch from the ends and parallel with them. This 
leaves the spaces, a b c d, a square 10 inches each way, and if 
cut through with the saw from b to D, and each set on its square, 
they will be of the desired angle. Upon these fix the board 
(three-eighths of an inch thick) for the Grapes to rest upon, 
which for this size will have to be about 14 inches wide. Another 
piece of deal (half inch thick) 0 inches wide is fixed at the back 
Dig. 108. 
of the stand, and rising 24 or 3 inches above it, pierced with two 
holes opposite where each bunch is to be placed, by which means 
they are secured to the board with twine or tape. A very thin 
lath about 2 inches wide is fixed along the front, its upper edge 
rounded off: and standing a little above the board, and similar 
pieces at each end forming a narrow beading all round, makes 
the stand look neat. As to length, each bunch should have 8 
or 9 inches of board; thus a box for three bunches should be 
27 inches. 
Fig. 110, next page, shows the stand in a box ready for travelling 1 
Fig. 109. 
It should be just large enough to hold the stand, should be light 
and have a handle fixed in the centre of the top to carry it by. 
Fig. Ill is a simple form of board, supported behind by two 
legs, connected by a lath and generally held in position by a 
piece of twine, but instead of that it would be preferable to have 
short spikes as at A A, so that when on the table it can be placed 
at any desiied angle, the spikes keeping it from slipping about. 
This can be placed in a box the same as at fig. 110, the legs of 
the stand being laid parallel with the board. 
Some exhibitors place their Grapes on the bare boards. A 
better plan, I think, is to place a covering of cotton wool all over 
the board, leaving about an inch clear ail round the outside. 
With a small brush apply some gum or paste just inside the 
beading, and have a sheet of white tissue paper ready to cover 
the whole of the cotton wool, and adhere to the stand round the 
edges. Examine each bunch before laying it on the board and 
place it on its flattest side, and secure it by means of string or 
tape, as shown at fig. 108; or if the bunches are large the tape 
may be placed round the junction of the shoulders of the bunch, 
placing the bunch higher on the stand than is here shown, at 
the same time twisting the stems of the bunches along the face 
of the upright board, so that they do not come in the way when 
placed in a box. When large bunches have to travel some 
