REMOVING FRUIT TREES. 
207 
mostly all been planted above twenty years. The gardener, Mr. 
Shiells, thought it advisable to have the walls of the new garden en¬ 
tirely covered with trees from the old; and the spring previous to ta¬ 
king up the trees, caused trenches about a yard wide, in form of a 
half-circle, to be dug round the trees, the distance from the stem ac¬ 
cording to the size of the tree, some two, some three, and others as 
much as four feet, the trenches were dug deep enough to get below 
the roots, which were cut off close to the side of the trench nearest 
the wall, the trenches were then filled with light rich earth, care be¬ 
ing taken to have them open no longer than was necessary; the trees 
did not put out many summer shoots that season, but bore quite as 
good crops of fruit as usual. 
The wall borders in the new garden were made three feet deep, on 
a bottom of broken stones well rammed, they were composed of the 
top spit taken off a field (which had for many years pastured sheep) 
well mixed with rotten dung. 
About the beginning of February, (the spring following after cut¬ 
ting the roots of the trees,) the borders in the new garden were in a 
sufficient state of forwardness to admit of the trees being planted: we 
were careful in unnailing the trees to tie the branches in bundles, 
and afterwards these bundles together as close as possible without 
breaking them. In taking them up, we commenced digging down 
a few feet faither from the stem of the tree, than the excavation was 
made the spring before, and dee]) enough to get under all the roots, 
then with sharp pointed sticks the mould was all removed from the 
roots, taking care to preserve all the young fibers which the roots 
had put out plentifully close to where they were cut. In several in¬ 
stances, when taking up the trees, we found larger perpendicular 
roots almost close to the stem, more especially in some of the old 
pear trees. I am of opinion, if these trees have not been transplanted, 
that the tap roots would have still, in a great measure, prevented 
the trees’ fruitfulness; these roots we cut close off. The trees were 
taken up one at a time, and carried on men’s shoulders to the new 
garden, although a distance of half a mile, there being less danger of 
breaking the branches, or shaking them, than by carting. 
The principal point observed in planting was, to have the roots 
well spread out as near the surface as possible; after planting, the 
roots were mulched with fresh cow-dung: care was also taken to tack 
the branches only loosely to the wall, to allow of the tree subsiding 
with the border. 
The whole of the trees received the same treatment, apples, pears, 
cherries, plums, peaches, nectarines, and apricots : what was very 
