320 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
September 
extending beyond such line cut entirely away, and 
the trench directed to be left open until the drought 
of May or June penetrated the volume of soil. The 
severity of the process would have alarmed many 
persons, but it turned out that it was not half severe 
enough, for the reverend gentleman stateci tne otner 
day that the trees were as strong as ever. Now, the 
soil in which they were planted was a very unctuous 
and adhesive loam, from a rich old pasture which had 
not been ploughed, perhaps, within the memory of 
man; and, although we believe there was not a par¬ 
ticle of manure added, yet such results followed. 
Now, there is no radical cure for such an evil but to 
take the trees up and replant them on the surface, 
mixing some thirty per cent, of the ordinary soil of 
the locality with the too fertile mass. The ordinary 
soil in this instance is a loose, shingly, dark, moorish 
earth, as poor as the other is rich. This will be root 
cutting, and more: the plants will receive a check in 
the fibres which remain on them, and which if not 
carried to too great an extreme will prove of immi¬ 
nent service to them. Processes like these, then, wc 
recommend to be carried out if possible in October, 
for the reasons before stated, and as furthering in 
some degree the ripening process, by encouraging a 
much greater amount of perspiration for a few weeks. 
We will, in a subsequent paper, give the details 
of root pruning, and show how to carry it out with 
trees under various circumstances, and also what 
their subsequent treatment ought to be, for this is 
no trifling affair. In doing so, we must break th e 
subject into certain divisions, in order to render it 
perfectly explicit; much remains to be said on this 
head. We would, however, in the meantime, beg 
of our readers—the thinking portion—to study the 
question of the ripening of the wood in fruit-trees, as 
well as the art of acclimatisation, which is, of course, 
intimately blended with it. It must be borne in 
mind during the consideration of these questions, 
that most of our superior fruits are natives of hotter 
and brighter climes than our own, and that the 
seasons as they run in Britain are totally inadequate 
to perfect the wood of the peach and nectarine, as 
well as some other fruits, unless aided by some 
means. The power of resisting cold during the win¬ 
ter is totally dependent on this question : this is 
too little thought of. My friend Taylor’s peaches, 
before quoted, would, as he told me, die back a con¬ 
siderable length every winter. We are informed, on 
undoubted authority, that the solidification of the 
wood of fruit-trees in their native climes is carried 
to an extent, through the agency of heat and light, 
which few English cultivators can imagine. Our 
spongy peach-wood becomes as hard as the oak, and 
even the vine is described as snapping like a dry 
stick, although so elastic in Britain. 
The theory of the solidification or ripening of the 
wood is very interesting. The superfluous fluids, 
before alluded to, are expelled or evaporated beneath 
the conjoint influences of heat and light, facilitated, 
of course, by a free circulation of air. Starch, resin, 
or gum, as the case may be, with other concentrated 
or solidified secretions, are thus formed by the vital 
action, aided, it appears, by carbonaceous matter 
from the atmosphere. Thus, what is termed assimi¬ 
lation is carried out, and this, in plainer terms, we 
gardeners are in the habit of lumping under the 
general and technical phraseology, “ ripening of the 
wood!’ 
We will shortly offer advice in a variety of wavs ; 
as to the carrying out this important process, accord- i 
ing to the varying circumstances and condition of 
fruit-trees. It. Errington. 
THE FLOWER-GARDEN. 
Evergreens Transplanting. —This is the best 
season of all the year for transplanting both large 
and small evergreen shrubs. It is surprising what 
large ones may be removed with perfect success if 
proper means and precautions are used. Supposing 
it is determined to transplant a large holly or laurel, 
the requisites for the purpose are cords to tie up the 
branches, and a carriage of some kind to remove it to 
its destination. The best kind we have ever seen 
or used is a platform, with along handle, fastened to 
a pair of low broad wheels; this platform should 
be raised above the wheels, so as to allow the roots 
and ball of earth to be clear from them. Every part 
of this machine ought to be very strong, as it fre¬ 
quently happens that the weight of the tree and ball 
of earth breaks down a weak, ill-made carriage, and 
is the cause of breaking the limbs not only of the tree 
but even of the operator; to prevent such calamities 
it is far better to go to the expense of a strong effec¬ 
tive instrument. Good steel spades are also requi¬ 
site, and they ought also to be strongly made. Where 
there are a considerable number to transplant, it is 
advisable to have spades made on purpose; the blade 
or plate of the spade should be narrower than ordi¬ 
nary, and perfectly straight; the socket or strap 'fas¬ 
tening it to the handle should be deeper, so as to 
reach within six inches of its top ; and to the handle 
I it should be rivetted very firmly with at least four 
rivets. The top of the spade should be of the kind 
denominated box-handled, to distinguish it from the 
cross-handled spade; these box-handles are much 
more expensive than the other, as they have to be 
cut out of the solid wood, but they are much better 
to work with, and consequently almost always pre¬ 
ferred. The next articles necessary are a good pick¬ 
axe and a shovel. Then have ready some strong rope 
and a mat or two ; these are to tie round the ball of 
earth to keep it from breaking. 
All these being ready, you may proceed with a right 
good will to prepare the tree for removal. Commence 
digging a trench two spits wide, at a sufficient dis¬ 
tance from the tree to leave a moderate-sized ball to 
it; have your spades very sharp, so as to cut off any 
roots with a clean cut. Dig down to a sufficient depth, 
and then with the pick-axe commence working off the 
soil under the ball, throwing out the loose earth as 
you go on with the shovel; proceed thus till the ball 
is quite hollow underneath, then wrap the mats round 
it and tie it firmly with the rope: it is now ready 
for the truck or carriage. Make with the spade a road 
for it to come close to the ball; if the tree or shrub 
is high, set the handle of the truck up against it, and 
lash them firmly together; the carriage will then act 
as a powerful lever, and the tree may be pulled down 
to a horizontal position. The hole where it is to be 
planted ought to be made considerably wider than 
the ball, but very little deeper. We consider it a 
grand mistake to plant any kind of tree, whether 
evergreen or deciduous, large or small, much deeper 
than it grew originally previously to its removal. 
Having made the hole of the proper depth, stir up 
the bottom, and throw in a few spadesful of good earth; 
pour upon this some water, mixing the earth and it 
together till it becomes a thick puddle, about two or 
three inches deep. Bring the tree gently to the side 
of the prepared hole, and lower it carefully into it, 
setting it upright; unloose the cords that fastened 
