Connecticut western news., 1872-09-13
When to Transplant Trees.

If we may judge by the number of in quiries received at this office, says the Tribune, the interest in fruit-culture has never been more active than at the pre- sent time. Many persons are asking whether it is better to transplant in Fall or wait till Spring. This question has always been and seems likely to continue an unsettled one, even among the most intelligent and experienced men. With large fruits, including pears, apples and peaches, much more depends upon the condition and preparation of the ground than upon the season at which the trans planting takes place. At different times and under different treatment, we have instituted experiments, the results of which we hoped might serve as guide, but as yet nothing definite on this point has been determined. On four or five oc
 casions. in putting out lots of 200 to 800 pear trees, half would be planted in the Fall and the other half in the Spring Twice there was very noticeably differ
 ence in the growth of the trees for year or two, but invariably this difference would disappear. so that at the end ot
 five years one could not positively distin
 guish between them, With tall and weak II planting. The Winter and early Spring winds will unless the trees are staked. sway them backward and forward to such an extent as to seriously disturb and dis place the roots. This is especially true of cherry and spindling apple trees, When this evil is guarded against, then Fall has some decided advantages over Spring planting. For instance, in the l F,n ia rlz fn ho done, and therefore more time can be given in tie transplanting to details that are important to the welfare of the trees. Again, the ground is usually during Au- tumn in better order for longer period so that there is no necessity of hurrying forward tbe work, as is frequently the case in the spring. For these reasons we have on different occasions recommended
 Fall planting, of apples, pears, peaches, and grapes, nor do we see any good req son to change opinion in this respect
 There is no doubt, however, that, all things
 being equal, the Spring is decidedly the
 best season in which to do the work
 But the frost may remain in the ground
 till the middle of April. Following thi,
 may be spell of wet weather. keeping
 the soil heavy and cold and unfit to plant trees in, and thus the time be so shorten ed that if the job he done at all it has tt be done in hurry, in which event many important minor matters are likely to b' neglected. Better wait whole year thar
 run the risk of planting the trees in we ground, under any circumstances.
 Before planting see to it that th'
 ground is in good order, thoroughly pull verized by blowing, cross blowing, ant , subsoiling, until every part of it, to f depth of IS inches, is well disturbed [ For fruit trees, ground should be in goo'
 heart, but it is great mistake to suppos < that they need to he planted in rich gar l den soil. Ground that will give 150 t - 200 bushels of potatoes to the acre s strong enough for them or for grapevines Well-rotted yard manure applied a yea f or two in advance will best bring the so , up to the standard of quality. At tn ] time of setting, some finely ground bon : or super-phosphate of lime to sprinkl
 around the roots will be of service. A
 to the season, however. we repeat tha C with good soil in good order, properl I mellowed, it will be safe to transplant ar :, ples, pears, peaches, or grapes, either i u Spring or Fall.