geptenibcr  3,  1903.  JOUliXAL  OF  HORTICULrURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER, 
227 
it  is  much  better  than  using  too  much  water.  There  are  several 
different  sized  machines,  which  may  be  hired  of  Mr.  Barron,  Borrow- 
ash  Nurseries,  Derby,  at  moderate  cost,  with  both  experienced  meu 
and  the  requisite  appliances,  or  I  believe  machines  are  made  to  order 
and  sold  by  that  firm. — G. 
We  are  also  enabled  to  give  a  few  details  from  the  pen  of  another 
practitioner,  who  writes  of  the  work  done  at  Canford  Manor.  The 
illustrations  on  pages  227  and  228  bear  out  his  remarks.  Thus  ; — 
I  will  describe  the  operation  of  shifting  the  handsome  Picea 
nobilis,  of  which  a  photograph  has  been  sent  with  these  notes. 
The  first  proceeding  was  to  dig  a  wide,  square,  and  deep  trench 
so  as  to  leave  a  ball  rather  more  than  8ft.  square,  nearly  the  whole 
of  w'hich  was  preserved  intact  to  a  depth  of  30in.  Being  well  below 
the  latter  depth,  the  next  step  was  to  undermine  the  centre  with 
crowbars  sufficiently  to  admit  of  a  stout  plank  8ft.  in  length  being 
thrust  under,  and  this  was  duly  blocked  up  lightly  with  the  aid  of 
piers  formed  with  loose  bricks.  Four  feet  away  from  this  on  each 
side  two  other  planks  were  similarly  worked  underneath  the  ball, 
and  these  being  propped  up  with  brick  piers  supported  the  edge  of 
the  ball  when  this  was  reduced  to  the  desired  width.  The  tree  w’as 
then  gradually  undermined  both  ways,  and  planks  added  and  bricked 
up  as  the  work  went  on,  these  eventually  supporting  the  whole  weight 
of  the  tree,  when  the  remaining  subsoil  was  picked  out.  Care  being 
taken  to  build  these  brick  piers  on  a  solid  foundation,  and  all  of  one 
height  (about  2ft.),  the  tree  settled  dowm  on  this  without  a  hitch  of 
any  kind.  While  all  this  was  being  done  by  handy  labourers,  others 
w’ere  preparing  a  w'ay  out  for  the  tree,  an  easy  slope  being  needed. 
Everything  being  thus  well  done,  it  was  a  comparatively  easy 
matter  to  run  a  low  strong  trolley  well  under  and  close  up  to 
planks,  the  trolley  being  extra  strong,  capable  of  bearing  8  tons 
or  more  in  w'eight,  and  constructed  much  after  the  pattern  of  the 
flat  four  -  wheeled 
trolleys  used  for 
carrying  luggage  at 
railway  stations.  The 
bricks  being  knocked 
away  the  planks 
settle  on  the  trolley, 
and  the  tree  is  ready 
for  removal.  Planks 
were  laid  for  the 
trolley  wheels  to  run 
smoothly  over,  but 
even  with  this  aid 
it  is  not  considered 
advisable  to  employ 
horses  for  drawing 
such  heavy  trees  out, 
snatching  and  strain¬ 
ing  being  bad  for 
both  the  tackle  and 
the  trees.  Instead 
of  horses  a  strong 
“  crab,”  or  portable 
windlass,  is  used, 
and  with  this  power¬ 
ful  aid  the  trolley  is 
drawn  out  steadily 
and  easily,  scotches, 
however,  being  handy 
for  stopping  running 
back  in  case  of  either 
the  ropes  or  chains 
snapping,  as  they 
sometimes  do  under 
the  strain.  Being 
once  on  the  hard 
road  planks  evere 
dispensed  with,  and 
four  powerful  horses 
managed  to  draw 
the  tree  to  its  des¬ 
tination. 
Once  more  both 
planks  and  “crab” 
were  brought  into 
requisition.  Being 
drawn  with  the  aid 
of  the  latter  into  the 
exact  position  in 
which  it  uas  to  re¬ 
main,  brick  piers 
were  once  more 
formed  under  all  the 
planks,  and  these 
supported  the  tree 
after  the  trolley  was 
undermined  and  then 
drawn  out.  Fresh 
good  soil  vvas  then  banked  well  up  to  the  central  plank,  which 
was  removed,  and  more  soil  very  firmly  pressed  under  so  as  to  be 
well  up  to  the  old  ball.  This  process  was  continued  from  the 
centre  till  all  the  planks  were  knocked  away,  and  the  tree  was 
once  more  resting  on  the  ground.  Four  days  altogether  were 
expended  on  the  transplanting  of  this  tree  at  a  cost  probably  of  less 
than  £6,  including  horse  labour. 
For  moving  smaller  trees,  or  any  that  two  or  four  men  can  lift 
when  duly  prepared,  Mr.  Grasp  (late  of  Canford,  Dorset)  had  a  handy 
invention  of  his  own,  and  which  is  well  worthy  of  being  generally 
used.  It  consists  of  four  elm  boards,  each  3ft.  long,  9in.  wide,  and 
l^in.  in  thickiress,  all  being  hollowed  out  somewhat  so  as  to  form  a 
circular  hole  in  the  centre  when  put  together,  without,  however, 
impairing  their  strength  (see  page  228).  They  are  bolted  together,  a 
loop  end  being  formed  on  the  upper  side  of  each  bolt,  and  either  being 
removed,  the  collar  can  be  placed  round  the  ball  of  a  tree  and 
again  connected.  First,  however,  a  square  trench  is  cut  round  the 
tree,  so  as  to  leave  a  ball  3ft.  each  way,  the  latter  being  then 
undermined  sufficiently  to  admit  of  the  collar  being  placed  in 
position  and  connected.  Each  corner  of  this  is  then  blocked  up 
with  bricks,  and  these,  when  the  tree  is  undermined,  support  the 
collar  and  the  tree.  Occasionally  a  strong  two-wheeled  stone 
trolley  with  long  powerful  handle  is  run  under  the  tree,  and,  the 
bricks  being  taken  away,  all  is  ready  for  removal.  More  often, 
though,  strong  cord  loops  are  placed  to  each  iron  crook  at  the 
corners,  and  strong  poles  being  passed  through  these  two  or  four 
men  lift  the  tree  out  of  the  hole  and  on  to  the  trolley.  The  fresh 
site  being  duly  prepared,  four  brick  piers  are  again  formed,  the  tree 
is  lifted  off  the  trolley  on  to  these,  soil  being  then  firmly  packed 
under  the  centre  and  well  up  to  the  sides,  after  which  the  collar  is 
disconnected  at  one  corner,  the  piers  removed,  and  the  tree  is  resting 
on  the  ground  as  before. — J.  M.  H. 
Removing  a  Picea  nobilis  of  40  feet  height. 
