The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1889-05-01
when Should Trees be TranspIantcd ::

In ans wer to this question the last number
Of the Colton Plant, makes answer as follows
"The best time to transplant any tree is in
the fall OF the year, after growth has entirely
ceased, and the tree has become absolutely
dormant"
The editor of the Press and Banner being
something of q tree-panter himself, respect
fully dissents from the answer above given.
The best time to transplant a tree is not in the
fall of the gear.
And we think we can account for the error
Into which our brother of the Cotton Plant has
fallen:
Reason First.-The farmers of the south
realize money from the sale of their cotton in
the Fall, and they put more money in circu-
lation at that season Of the year, than at any
other season.
Reason Second.-The nurserymen being
men Of shrewd business tact, believe as q mat.
ter OF course. that the Fall is the best season Of
the year to sell as we'll as 10 transplant trees
and for the best interests Of the nurScry,nen
the Fall is the proper season for us to trans
plant trees. If the nurSerymen waited until
Spring to press their sales, our people would
have no money.
Reason Third.-The Fall being the best sea.
men, they have announced that season rs
the best, without giving other than srccula-
tive reasons, such as, "thc tree is asleep &c.
and the Southerner, being natural born gud-
geOn, accepts the nurseryman'S statement
(Which is actually barred on no other than a
business or financial reaSon) as being real.
Iy the time when there is less risk in trans
planting tree.
We venture, somewhere in the above rea'
sons can be found the only logical, reasonable
and practical argument on which to base
the theory that the Fall is the proper time to
transplant tree.
To plant an "absolutc!y dormant tree" and
leave IL exposed to thousand and one dang
ers without any nourishment at all for n
period of four or five months, in wind and
storm, is contrary to reason and erraneous in
practice.
With all manner of respect for the Cotton
Plant we would suggest that to successfully =
transplant a tree is the simplest job in the
world.
Wait until the buds are well sprung in the
Spring. Take up the tree, doing as little dam
age TO the roots as possible. cut of the bruis-
ed and mangled roots, except in cases where
d
off the top to a reasonable dcsrce-(by no
means trim it as bare as fodder stack polc)-.
leaving u sufficient number of short l;nhS.
Put the tree hole OF proper Size and depth,
Ill up with rich soil, pack and then pour on
Two or three buckets of water, to settle the
soil around the roots. Cover the wet soil
with dry dirt, leaving the tree in a slight de-
preston, and tho work is done. Not ono tree
in a hundred that is planted in this way will
die. Under no circumstances pile up .i!c dirt
about the root Of any tree, until ii will r,:m
the water of. Let the water settle ut the root
OF the tree. \ tree that has lost its tap root is
not worth the planting. Such tree will
grow, and as long as the wind comes from the
side which has strong lateral roots, all Is
well, but when the wind comes from the side
of tree where the lateral roots are srarse, the
tree will fall.