178 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
[June, 
l 1 . "T — 
How to Transplant Evergreens. 
In the more Northern States, the first half 
of June is an excellent time for the set¬ 
ting of evergreens. They may, indeed, be re¬ 
moved at other times, with safety, if the work 
he well done. A nurseryman in our vicinity 
transplants them in every month of the year, ex¬ 
cept in mid-winter, with impunity. He does it 
with great care, keeps the roots out of the ground 
but a few minutes, and in dry weather mulches 
the ground. He seldom loses a tree; yet, like a 
sensible man, he holds, with all experienced 
planters, that, as a general rule, the best time for 
re-setting is in the early Summer, when the tree 
is just bursting into its first growth. 
The physiological reason for this, so far as we 
know of one, is as follows: An evergreen tree 
is always clothed with foliage, and if dug up 
and reset early in the Spring, while in a dormant 
state, the leaves make an immediate and con¬ 
stant demand on the roots, which they, in then- 
mangled and inactive state, can not meet. In 
this they differ from a deciduous tree, which, if 
transplanted when in a dormant state, has no fo¬ 
liage to suck up and evaporate the moisture 
from its roots. But if we wait until the ever¬ 
green is fully roused, and is just starting into 
vigorous growth of root and branch, it may be 
taken up and re-set without injuiy. The roots 
soon heal over, and push out new fibers into the 
soil, and root growth proceeds so rapidly that 
evaporation does not exhaust it. In short, the 
removal is performed at the time when the tree is 
best able to bear the shock. 
A few words now in detail, as to the manner 
of doing this work well. Trees may be taken 
at once from the forest or open field, if much 
care be used. The holes to receive them should 
be previously dug, making them of generous 
size, and, if the soil is not good, bring in from 
the garden two or three bushels of fine earth for 
each tree. Then choose a cloudy day—a moist 
one, if you are water-proof—for the digging up 
and re-setting. Take a sharp spade and a few 
old mats; hitch up Dobbin and drive to the 
woods—though if the trees can be found in an 
open field, they will be better furnished with 
dense branches to the ground, and will be more 
sure to live. Do not dig up the tree as you 
would a post, but cut a large circle around it, so 
as to include as great a mass of roots as two 
or more can lift into the wagon; and all the 
earth you can preserve about the roots, will 
be so much gain. Having dug up the desired 
number of trees, cover the roots with your old 
mats, and drive homeward with care and dis¬ 
patch. Now loosen up the soil in the holes, 
pare off smoothly the bruised roots, set in your 
trees, spreading out the roots in all directions, 
and filling the interstices with fine mold. When 
each tree is about half planted, pour in half a 
pail of water and let it settle; then fill up with 
earth. After all the trees are set, it will be ad¬ 
visable to drive in temporary stakes on the 
windy side of any tall specimens, to prevent 
their being blown about violently and loosened 
at the roots. An excellent article with which to 
tie the trees to the stakes, so as to prevent chaf¬ 
ing the bark, is cloth listing from the tailors’ shops. 
Here, transplanting, as commonly performed, 
ends,—but an indispensable part of the process 
remains, viz: mulching the roots. Leaves are 
the very best material for this purpose, but old 
tan-bark is good, and straw will answer well. 
Put on a layer an inch or two deep. Something 
of the sort should be used, as it will save the 
necessity of subsequent waterings, and will al¬ 
most ensure their living, and making a vigorous 
growth, even during the first season. 
The above directions apply particularly to the 
transplanting of evergreens from the wood-side 
and field. There are advantages, however, in 
procuring them from the nurseries. Here your 
range of varieties is greater. They are general¬ 
ly better shaped specimens. They have been 
transplanted several times already, and, having 
thereby formed large mats of fibrous roots, are 
quite sure to live. 
For evergreens which have to be set in windy 
quarters, we strcngly advise the planting of a 
few “nurse-trees,” (the American arbor-vitee, 
for example,) on the stormy side, to break the 
violence of the wind. If they are not protect¬ 
ed in some way, they will be battered to pieces, 
and become shabby, one-sided specimens. Keep 
the nurses there for several years, until the fa¬ 
vorite tree is well established and vigorous, 
then they may be removed. 
-«- ma, ---- 
Desirable Evergreens. 
There is as great a choice in conifers as in 
other trees. Some are lank and scrawny, and 
straggling; others are only half-hardy, and need 
protection in Winter; others are altogether too 
tender for northern climates; and others still 
are peculiarly subject to the attacks of insects. 
Among our readers there are many who are 
just establishing small places, and who wish to 
plant a few of the very best evergreens, and 
only such. Then there are others who have 
large grounds to embellish, and who want to 
procure every known species and variety that is 
really hardy and desirable. We will now try to 
accommodate both classes, by giving a list and 
short descriptions of those with which we are 
acquainted, placing the best at the head of the 
list, and the others in their supposed order of 
merit. Our friends can then select as many as 
they desire for their particular uses. 
Hemlock Spruce. (Abies canadensis .)—Native 
of all our northern hills, and too common to be 
generally appreciated, it is, notwithstanding, the 
most beautiful of evergreens. The Deodar and 
Lebanon cedars, the Araucaria , the Norway 
Spruce, and others, have their several excellen¬ 
ces, but, all things considered, they must yield 
the palm to this. Let us see what can be said 
of it. Hardy, of fair growth when well es¬ 
tablished, color vivid green, unchanged by hard¬ 
est frosts, and the style of branch and leaf su¬ 
perbly graceful. Nothing can exceed the beau¬ 
ty of its new growth in early Summer. It is 
thought to be hard to transplant; and so it is, if 
taken up from the woods and carelessly han¬ 
dled. If one can not give time and pains to d® 
the work well, let him buy his trees from the 
nurseries, and then they will be sure to live. 
The Norway Spruce. ( Abies excelsa .)—Nor¬ 
way has given to mankind three superior things: 
a grand spruce, a first rate maple, and the world 
famous violinist, Ole Bull. This spruce is fast 
becoming the most widely planted tree of our 
times, unless we except the old Balsam Fir. Its 
origin ensures its hardihood. Few trees can be 
more easily transplanted; and even Young 
America will not complain that its growth is 
slow. Well did the botanists style it excelsa , for 
it often towers 150 feet high. No Winter’s cold 
changes its bright green color. It naturally 
takes a fine pyramidal shape, seldom needing 
any pruning to improve its symmetry. Less 
graceful than the hemlock, it never looks too 
coarse for the finest lawn, yet it is bold enough 
for the most picturesque scenery. It also makes 
a strong hedge or protecting screen. 
The White Pine. (Firms strobus.) —often 
styled “Weymouth” pine, in the catalogues. 
This tree has sometimes fallen into disrepute 
with planters who have set it in poor soil, or 
where it was overshadowed by other trees. 
Give it sunlight, abundance of room to spread 
itself, and a deep, moist loam, and it will win a 
good name from everybody. No foreign pine 
surpasses it. The Bhotan ( excelsa ) is quite grace¬ 
ful, with its long, silky, silvery green foliage; 
yet it has a sort of languishing, affected air; and 
withal is not hardy north of Albany, N. Y. 
And if it were, we should rank it second to the 
white pine. This last is hardy everywhere, 
bears transplanting well, and is always green ; 
it is too large for city lots and for village door 
yards; its appropriate place is at the outskirts. 
It makes a noble park-tree. 
Austrian and Scotch Pines. (Pinus Austria 
oca, and P. Sylvestris ..—We place them together, 
because their merits are similar, their foliage 
not very unlike, and because they look well 
when planted in company. The dark sea-green 
of the Austrian sets off finely the bluish green 
of the Scotch. 
The Cembran Pine. (Pinus Cembra .)—A 
most worthy member of the great pine family. 
So far as beauty is concerned, it stands above 
the Scotch and Austrian, but as it is of slower 
growth, and, we believe, a smaller sized tree, it 
will probably be less popular. It is sometimes 
called the Swiss Stone pine, as it abounds on the 
Alps, and nearly all the mountainous regions of 
Central Europe. It is certainly hardy in Cen¬ 
tral New-York, and will doubtless prove so 
everywhere. It is more compact and regular in 
its habit than any other pine of our acquaint¬ 
ance, and should be in every collection. 
Siberian Silver Fir. ( Picea picbta .)—Here 
is the best of the Firs for northern people. It is 
less prim and precise than the European, but 
equal in fulness and richness of foliage to the 
best specimens of the native Balsam, and then 
it does not, like the last-named, become meagre 
as it becomes old. 
European Silver Fir. (Piceapedinata.)— An 
exceedingly neat, symmetrical, and lofty tree, 
sometimes attaining the higlit of 150 feet. Yet 
it is hardly suitable for northern climates. From 
Rochester, all through to Philadelphia, it is very 
apt to lose its leader in the Winter. Whoever 
has patience and skill in abundance would do 
well to try it. 
The Balsam Fir. (Picea balsamea.)— It will 
be hard work for the critics to write down this 
tree. They say it becomes “a shabby fellow, af¬ 
ter it is twenty years old, whose bad clothing a 
well-trained dog would bark at, as belonging to 
a beggar.” Not always, good friends, as severe! 
within range of our window at this moment 
bear testimony. In some regions and soils, it is 
more liable to attacks of insects than in others, 
and when so affected, it has a pitiable look. But 
where it thrives well, it is certainly worth hav¬ 
ing. We think it is freer from disease and in¬ 
sects at the North than in the Middle States. 
Black and White Spruce. (Abies nigra and 
A. Alba.)— Not equal to their Norwegian cousin, 
yet desirable in a large collection. The foliage 
of the White is sometimes double, and heavy, 
and gracefully pendulous; such specimens are 
hardly inferior to any evergreen. 
The Arbor Vita:. (Thuja.)— There are many 
species of this tree. The Golden is, perhaps, the 
most beautiful, yet, unfortunately, it is tender 
