Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1871-09-21
On the Transplanting Of Large Trees.

Mr. y. G. Billiard, Superintendent of
Prospect Park. Brooklyn, N. Y, sends to
the Scientific Aanersc0aa tho following in
teresting particulars relative to the trans.
planting Of trees, so extensively and sue
cessfully practiced BY him in various parts
of the grounds under his charge:
The pl, ming of the Park has been un-
der my charge from the first, and no part
of my work has received more careful
study than the subject referred to.
We have planted nearly 1000 trees of
from five inches to two feet diameter, with
very small percentage Of loss.
Relying upon a few plain simple princi.
pies, healthy, vigorous trees, of almost any
size, may be safely transplanted.
There are, of course, exceptions With
some varieties, as the hickory and other
essentially tap rooted trees, it is almost
useless to experiment. Those with soft
succulent roots, like the sweet gum, sassa-
fras, and some of the magnolias, are diff.
cult to manage
To insure success, it is important to take
with the tree mass of earth, proportion
ate to its size, which shall contain large
part Of the tibrous or feeding roots unin.
jured. This accomplished, the tree may
be moved without the necessity of materi-
ally damaging its form or losing its char
acter.
The LEAKAGE should be reduced, some
what III proportion to the nccessa, y dam
age of roofs. Much, however, will depend
in this matter, upon the vigOr of the tree
when moved, what the change Is to be,
whether from poor soil to better, or
the reverse, from sheltered locality to
more exposure, or otherwise
My system Of pruning large trees which
have been transplanted is (if the form is
satisfactory to thin out over and through
the entire head, cutting as few large limbs
as possible, and reducing the outline only
by cutting back the leading twigs or
small branches at their points Of junction
with the larger branches.
The trees with which we have been
most successful are the naples, Gins, lin
dens american and European), horn
beams, some of the oaks, and birches
These for the most part have abundant
fibrous roots reasonably near the stem of
the tree.
We dig liberal trench around ball of
earth and roots, varying in size from six
to thirteen feet in diameter, according to
size Of tree. The roots are smoothly cut
DIS far from the tree rs they can BE- safely
retained. The trench is carried below the
roots, and the excava ion well under the
ball, leaving only small pedestal.
Timbers and chains are securely placed
under the ball to the latter, heavy tackles,
attached to the windlasses of the tree
truck, are fastened, and the tree is then
raised in an upright position far enough
to clear the ground in conveying it to the
new home.
In planting, the excavation to receive
the tree is dug much larger than the root
ball. and deeper than its thickness. Good
loan or soil is filled in to the required
depth, and the tree lowered on this bed,
the greatest care being taken to properly
place and cover all exposed roots. Com
posted manure is mixed with the soil that
does not come directly in contact with the
roots.
Our trees make but little growth the
two first years. New roots are forming
and getting we'll hold Of the rich food
furnished them. The third year, and
sometimes the second they are among our
most vigorous trees.
During The summer following planting,
and, if necessary, the second summer, we
mulch the trees literally with fresh cut
grass, and water, if the season he dry.
l think the foregoing may give your
readers a general idea of the possibility of
transplanting large trees with comparative
safety, and may be Of some service as to
the method.
Our trucks for removing trees we're got
ten up by the Park engineers, modified
from time to time as we made our first ex-
periments. can hardly 90 into such an
| explanation of their construction as would
be Of any value.