480 
roots, and, if not very carefully removed, will 
fail, Again, there are many trees that cannot 
be pruned; for instance, cedars, firs, arborvita, 
and trees of that description, must not lose a 
branch, or they lose their beauty. Hence the 
necessity of removing every fibre of the root 
with it, if the tree is to live. But the more 
valuable kinds are generally kept in pots a few 
years, that they may suffer nothing by removal. 
As they advance in growth, the pots are changed; 
but at length they are turned out into the 
ground,—and for one-year, or even two, they 
might be moved well and easily, because their 
roots have not had time to spread; but, after. 
that, the difficulty increases every year, and it 
is a tedious as well as troublesome task to fol- 
low out the direction of the roots, and extricate 
them from the ground without damage. 
The only conditions required on removing a 
tree of any age or kind are, first, to release all 
the root from the ground, without bruising; 
secondly, to remove the tree whole, as it is, and 
undamaged, from where it was to where it is to 
be; thirdly, to preserve all the fibres thoroughly 
moist, from the time it is released from the 
ground until it is replaced; fourthly, to support 
it in such way, on replanting, as that the earth 
may be all among the fibres and roots, solid and 
proper, as it was when it was moved ; and, lastly, 
so to tread and press the earth about it that the 
fibres shall not be pressed together, nor the roots 
bent out of their places. It is next to impossible, 
however, to comply with all these conditions with 
very large trees; and therefore large trees are 
seldom removed, and rarely live after removal. 
Many contrivances have been resorted to; but 
there ought to be two years’ preparation before 
it is attempted. This preparation consists of 
digging a circle round the tree, and cutting off 
the roots that extend beyond; and as even this 
may be too much check, if all done at once, it is 
necessary to do it at two different periods, by 
opening four opposite places, and at each place 
cutting away an eighth of the circle, building a 
wall within a foot of the remaining roots, and 
filling up that foot with the soil again, as well 
as the hole outside the bricks. New fibres and 
roots will spring out, and almost fill the space 
to the bricks. The next season the other four 
spaces may be opened, and the roots cut off at 
the same distance. At this time there must be 
some undermining, to examine whether there be 
any roots running very deep or downwards, like 
a tap-root; and if there be any, they must be 
severed before you build walling to complete the 
circle of bricks. If these operations be well con- 
ducted, there will, by the next moving time, be 
a mass of roots within the brick wall capable of 
sustaining the tree; and the removal, without 
damage, will be accomplished with little risk. 
The only thing then required is power; for by 
clearing all round the outer part of the brick 
wall first, and then pulling it down, the roots 
TRANSPLANTING. 
will be undamaged, and the ball of earth entire. 
But too much importance is attached to the 
mere ball of earth in all cases. Thousands of 
trees have been moved with balls of earth to 
them five times the weight of the trees them- 
selves, while the roots have been dreadfully short- 
ened all round, and the principal nourishing 
portions removed. In removing very large spe- 
cimens, some nicety is required in reducing the 
head enough to make allowance for the decreased 
power of the roots, without injuring the general 
figure and appearance. Even in adopting the 
plan we have suggested, which is too trouble- 
some for anything but a really valuable and 
large specimen, the head of the tree should lose 
something, and it will require some ingenuity to 
remove those portions whose removal will not 
injure the appearance of the specimen. But the 
same principles that govern us in the case of a 
large tree should be observed in transplanting 
all things. 
One certain fact is, that whatever the root 
suffers checks the tree, and unless the subject be 
the better for checking, the plant must be re- 
duced, and therefore care must be taken to pre- 
vent the root from suffering. But many subjects 
are the better for the check,—that is to say, they 
would be too luxuriant without such check; 
hence the practice of root - pruning, to check 
fruit-trees,—a practice that hastens maturity 
and brings on fruit-bearing. This was the in- 
ducement to disroot pines, which some people 
have complained of as unnatural culture. The 
pruning of roots checks the flow of raw sap, 
which induces rank growth, and allows that 
already in the tree to elaborate and adapt itself 
to the fruiting process; and if roots are not 
pruned, or a check given artificially, the tree 
must push on with vigour, forming leaves and 
branches, but no fruit, until the tree attains its 
mature size, and the roots have settled down the 
supply by lessening it sufficiently, when that sap 
which is supplied will properly elaborate, and 
fruit is the consequence. Confine the roots of a 
tree in a pot, and stunted growth is a certain 
consequence. Cut away the parts of a root which 
wander farthest, and a more sudden check takes 
place; yet it so lessens the quantity of nourish- 
ment taken up, that, if it be not too violent, it 
hastens the blooming and fruiting. Carry this 
operation too far, and the check is too great; 
yet a little further, and the tree dies, because 
the leaves give off more moisture than can be 
taken up. The only chance, therefore, of saving 
trees of which the roots have been too much 
damaged, is to lessen the work which the roots 
have to perform, when the life will be saved. 
Plant unchanged such trees or shrubs as have 
accidentally or otherwise been deprived of one. 
half or so of their roots in the process of taking ~ 
them up, and they die; lessen the head a good 
deal, and they live, but are sickly; cut a very 
large portion down, and the remainder will not 
