Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Mass.) 1828-1830, 1828-06-10
FOR THE LAScAsTER GAZETTE.


MEssRs. EDIToRs-Though the season
for transplanting trees has elapsed, your pa
per of last week may become source of
injury, loss, and disappointment to some of
your readers, when that season shall return.
The extract from "The New York Ameri-
cam" if not very attentively read, will not
correct, but confirm and strengthen the err
roneous opinion, too prevalent among farm
ers, that when a tree is transplanted, not
only its life, but its health and vigour, may
be preserved, with all its top, or head, what
ever loss it sustains in its roots Sir Henry
Stuart, referred to in the extract, speaks of
trees transplanted with all their roots re-
tanned. Being gentleman of fortune, the
expense of moving valuable tree was not
considered: the proper apparatus must be
prepared, and the tree, with all its roots,
must take the station his fancy points ont.
The ruot5 being preserved, the top requires
no diminution.
AS trees ordinarily are transplanted in
this vicinity, the price, the cost, of moving
them, is a primary concern. A tree is TAX
en- from the forest, it is brought to the des-
tined spot, the ground prepared, and the
tree is set, for one shilling, and the labourer
makes high wages, and seeks employ in thus
transplanting trees! What is the conse-
quence ?-what is his labour? Having bro
ken the ground at the tree with his hoe, the
axe is sturdily applied! Every root of con-
siderable size is cut off within foot or two
of the body, while few smaller ones are
left to sustain and nourish the whole tree.
Not unffequently aine-tenths of the roots are
left where the tree stood. Now | ask, can
the remaining tenth part furnish current
of sap, sufficiently strong and active, to
spread over the whole surface, which all
the roots did but supply as nature required !?
Can this tenth part perform, not only its own
part, but also that of the other nine? 1t
cannot. Let the whole top remain, and in
this case, there can be but feeble, very fee
BILE foliage, and probably none. The san
that rises aciu be dried up by the sun.
Whatever theorists may allege to the
contrary, my opinion is sustained by various
indisputable facts. The VIGOROUS healthy
apple-tree, from which the whole top is re-
moved for the insertion of gratis, frequently
dies of plethora. The food is prepared and
brought forward for the nourishment of all
the natural branches-there are no mouths
to drink or receive it. Here and there a
little scion relishes and enjoys very small
quantity, the remainder stagnates-the stock
is drowned, turns black, and perishes. This
| have often seen. Experience has con-
WINGED observing men, that where scions
are set in a VIGOROUS tree of considerable
size, the farmer should be three gears in re-
moving the natural branches. This reason
ing is strictly applicable to the transplanted
tree. The roots which take a new station.
should not be taxed above their means. IF
half the roots are cut off, why oblige them
to support more than half the branches? It
appears to me rational to let roots and
branches be proportioned, in the second posi-
ton, as nature proportioned them in the first
Having paid much attention to this inter-
esting subject, / am satisfied there is little
danger of removing too many branches from
a tree transplanted, if depreciation has been
boldly made upon its roots. If itneeds more
receptacles for the sap furnished, it provides
them without labour.
1t IS peculiarly gratifying to the observing
traveller IN this vicinity, to see the taste,