The Portland daily press., 1867-02-12
TranspIantimg Trees.

Wehave no desire to engage in a acontrover-
sy-certainly not for the sake of carrying a
point-with MIR. Dana, on the question wheth-
er,, in transplanting tree, its roots should be
spread out upon the top of the ground where
on it is to stand, and be there covered with
soil, or whether it should be inserted lust as
much under the surface as Nature had placed
it before its removal. He afflrms the first
and he has right to his opinion; we incline
to the last-with an equal right to ours. The
readers Of the Press can judge for themselves
which theory, or rather which practice, is the
best 7 snafiu 81
Where the ground Is naturally stiff and wet,
and is not well underdrained, doubtless tree
will take root and grow better if it is commit
ted to a bed built specially for its reception
upon the general surface, in which its roots
may spread and derive nourishment, without
being obliged, during its lifetime, to descend
into the cold and wet earth below But such
artificial mounds, which, it would seem, must
be annually enlarged to accommodate the an
nual extension of the roots, might be found
quite as inconvenient and costly as thorough
underdrainage at the first. After all, the
roots aciH go down, in spite OF all our surface
attentions. They must go to depth necessa-
ry to embed the tree in the solid earth with
sufficient hold to withstand the force of
winds; and the rootlets must and will 90
down after drink till they find water enough
to supply the wants of trunk, limbs, and foli-
age. Did not these aqueous feeders go deeper
than some people suppose, the tree would die
of thirst whenever the surface was not thor
Oughly moist AS it is, we seldom see tree
however old or large, die in consequence of a
drought, be the soil ever so stiff; it expires
only when its roots are impeded in their de-
scent by an impenetrable ledge of rock.
Doubtless transplanted tree, placed upon
the surface, will be very thankful for an am
pie covering of its roots with choice pulver-
lied mould, such as it would not find in the
common soil around it; but it strikes us that
if this rich mould were applied to the roots
under the surface, in cavity of ample di-
menslons, the tree would be more thankful
still, as it would stand firmer in the earth,
duu tluOJ pOoltiOu do lcdl pOSSlD16 W
that which dame Nature had wisely given it
before.
We may be wrong; probably we are as ig-
norant of the principles" approved by Nc
Intosh and Barron, as Mr.. Dana presumes
we are. Our acquaintance, we confess, is
more with the opposite principles" of Cob
bett, Thatcher, Kenrick, Buel, Fessenden and
others; but in point of practice, which is the
best test of principle, we have found, and we
think most farmers and gardeners hereabouts
have also found, that the old maxim duce na-
tura, is the surest and safest to adopt. When
we follow Nature in these matters we seldom
err or fail in our endeavors. She always tells
how much of tree ought to be above the
surface, by mark which every one can see
upon the trunk as soon as it is taken from its
original birthplace. And this rule ,ue have
never failed to find successful in our prac-
tice. The reason Of this, however, may be,
that in transplanting trees zoe have always
had soil in good tilth, which is neither too wet
nor too dry. In different soil, we should
hesitate long before we lett the Tor
| tunes of tree exposed to condition so
| doubtful of success. st
After setting out tree, we notice Mr.. Dana
objects to "the nuisance of watering, which is
almost always injurious" No soil should ever
be applied to the roots of transplanted tree
whilst in wet or clammy state. 1t should al
ways be fine and light, but not absolutely dry.
In this condition, gentle watering will settle