Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1871-12-02
TRANsPLANTING TREES.

Deciduous trees Chose that shed their
leaves in autumn) are apparently in dor
mant state from the time frost stops their
growth until the sap becomes active again
towards spring; that is true in measure, if
the trees is left undiSturbed, but so soon as
it is removed there is an immediate
perceptible activity of the sap TO throw out
new roots at the places severed by the
spade. Therefore we may say in this lati-
tude. vegetation, although inactive as far as
the formation of new leaves and wood,
during a period of about four months,
is never inert In forming new
roots. Let tree be taken up
in November, examine the roots i'll
January, and in almost every instance young
roots varying from one to three and four
inches in length are visible. This admOn-
ishes us to plant as early after the fall Of the
leaf as practicable, in order to allow the
tree the benefit of the 1cjnter's root grOrth,
which gives the early transplanted tree
marked advantage over the late one. In
average years we find that May and June
are what can be termed dry months, and
the almost regular spring drought is very
detrimental to a tree transplanted late in
the season. Still with the proper care,
and some attention to the following hints,
trees can be successfully transplanted even
as late as the middle, and in some rare sea-
sons, end of March.
Never select a piece of ground for your
intended orchard site that is not well
drained, either naturally or artifcially. \
soil intenniXed with some gravel is more
desirable than a compact clay, as the more
porous the soil the easier the roots pene-
trate it. PlOw the whole of your ground
to the greatest depth the team al your COM
mand is capable of performing that indis-
pensable operation. II your soil has been
stirred to a depth of fifteen inches your
trees will afterwards amply repay the work.
Holes should never be less than two feet
wide and from eighteen to twenty four
inches deep. If wider so much the better.
Remember, that upon your work in laying
the foundation ofyour orchard, viii depend
all your after success.
Avoid heating manures in planting; a
few shovels full of well decOmpOsed coin
post, well mixed with soil, are advisable.
Many trees die at the approach of the hot
weather from having been planted with an
overdose of unfermented and stimulating
manure.
Wood ashes are very beneficial if used in
moderate quantities. After your tree has
| grown year or two, you can fertilize your
! soil as much as you please without him
| drance to the health of the tree, but do not
| stimulate it at replanting. The economy
| of the tree has been destroyed by removal;
| compare it to a sick man just convalescent,
! whose health will gradually improve by a
| moderate but nOurishing diet, and who
would at once relapse into his former i'll
! ness by an excess of food.
! When your soil is prepared select your
! tree with care. Young planters select tree
! for its large size and large head of branches,
! but more experienced ones discard these
| points and have an eyetO the roots. With
out these your tree is useless TO plant.
/ Plenty ofhealthy roots, few if any branches,
| the main stem cut back 70 two feet in a
vearling tree, to four in an older one, will
| insure success. But leave your tree with a
full head Of branches, which you are
! afraid to shorten in, as you hate to
| to destroy its fine appearance, and to-
wards summer, the roots being in in
verse proportions, will be unable to supply
nourishment for the whole hedd-gedr, your
tree will languish and struggle through its
first seasons growth, whereas had there
been no useless limbs to sustain, but ne "
head allowed to be formed in its permanent
nlace. the result at the end Of the growing
season would have shown you where the
advantage lies. You can hardly prune too
severely when transplanting, but use you
pruning knife moderately when your tree Is
growing, and especially when attaining a
bearing age.
Examine the roots of your tree, remove
with a clean cut all bruised ones; spread
them out evenly as they radiate from the
main stem; throw your soil gently, hrst sill
it in so that no hollows are left. Do mol
plant the tree any deeper than 1t stood
in the ground before it was taken up
Neither plant it too shallow, both are to bt
avoided. but of the lesser too shallow
planting is preferable to too deep planting
The roots can grow dOJrRrdrd, but they
will not grow upWdrd.
Don't stake your trees unless you have
not needed our advice regarding cutting
back. When this is the case We would say
that. perhaps dearly bought experience may
teach YOU a lesson if you Gespise friendl,
advice. If a tree cannot sustain itself by
its own roots throw it out; it will never do
anv GOOD. there is no foundation below.
If YOU have been compelled to della,
planting until late, use a good mulch
straw, leaves or any material that will re
tain the moisture in the ground; but Wher
Dlanting has been attended to early, trequen
| Stirring of the ground with digging for
! is the best mulching you can give.-Farn
, e. and Gardener