GARDENING NOTES. [By Experience.]

Evening Post, Volume LXIX, Issue 118, 20 May 1905, Page 12

GARDENING NOTES. [By Experience.]

TRANSPLANTING. In most walks of lifo it is littlo things that lead to success or failure. Gne may bis acquainted with general modes of pinccdurc, and yet lack of knowledge of mii.iH details, or want of judgment under varying conditions, may wreck all oiic'r clients. A gift for observance, added lo experience, is what makes a huccc'.Hful gardener. Anyone can move a lice, .shrub, or bush from ono placo to another, but to do so with a minimum of injury to the plant removed often ivquiien considerable judgment or knowledge, of technicalities. Evergreen trees nre usually more difficult to U.uisplant when they have attained some Hi/c than aro those of a deciduous nature. The latter class is either at rest, or going to rest, at transplanting time; theio is therefore less t<hock from the cutting of loots which supply the troo with moisture, because then- is no iinmcdialo demand for Misleimnce. With the evergreen it is different; a supply of moistuio is ut all times needed to keep tho leafage supplied, and if roots arc destroyed, and so tho .supply diminished, homo compensation should be given tho lice, by cutting oif some ot its brunches, and so reducing its wants for tho time being; this will often nave a tree that might otlicrwiso perish under tho operation. Shrubs that strike easily from cuttings aro usually easy to transplant, as for example laurcstinus, cnonymus, common lain el, etc. Hard-wood subjects, liko various conifers, aro more difficult. There aro exceptions on both sides, but it is not necessary to follow them up, as I am dealing only with general principles. Sluubs with very soft wood, like Costrum auniiitiacum, feel transplanting very severely, because they are very sappj, and at the same timo sparse rooting. Cut the shrub half-way or more to the ground, and it will move all right. Trees that are diflicult lo move can be conquered by preparation beforehand. According to tho 8i7.0 of tho tret) should be tho sizo of the ball of earth to be lifted with it. Judgment must bo used as to what this would be; then at that distance from tho stem dig out a trench all lound tho tree, and well down under it, severing all the roots met with; return tho earth, and tread it firm. In tho courso of a fow weeks or months fresh roots will be made; tho tree may then bo transplanteel. Conifers of largo sizo, requiring horses to move them, can be successfully transplanted, but it usually takes two years to prepare them, cutting the roots only half-way round tho tree at a time, and waiting* till nuirvroUH fibres are formed. Tlw wuy of performing tho operation is of somo importance. A ball of earth is necessary with all largo shrubs, except they bo deciduous. A careless or incompetent workman may destroy that and tho tree with it. Dig a good trench out, forming the ball as you proceed, cutting it to shape with a sharp spado; go right under it, but always leave a portion on ono .sido untouched, just enough to keep tho tree in place till you hnvo worked right under it ; then, If advisable, Rome sacking can be put under tho hull for it to fall on to when tho support is cut away. Thus it can 1)0 hauled out of the holo with littlo damage In its new position tho treo should be planted rather deeper than it was before, so that the ball of earth may be covered with fresh soil. It is of great Importance that tho soil bo trodden very firmly all round the ball, or, from being hauler than tho surrounding soil, it will refuse to admit moisture, and the tree die during the ensuing iummer for want of sustenance. Currant and Gooseberry Bushes, —l am writing now of bushes of some size, which for Home- reason it may be dosirablo to tianaplnnt. There may be several reasons for this. It nmy be tho owner's wish to remove them to a fresh hite, and they may bo good, well-trained bushes. In tin* cat>o tho operator's aim should be to preserve all the llbrous roota pcMible. The spicnd of the tibres will probably bo about equal to tho spread of the bush, so at about that di&tuuce dig a trench a good spit deep all annul the bush. It is not mo aim to lift them witn a ball, and there is no need to go under the roots. Having dug tho lieiu.h with a spade, discard that imp'ument and tako a fork; witn tlii* work tho f.oil on top and among tho roots, into tho trench; this will expose the fibrous roots. Now turn your back to the bus-h, binding across, with a foot in the trench on eitlu-r side, thrust tho foik with force under thu roots, and prize the handle up; by this means it will be easy to dislodge, the plant by Inoalcing the undiT-roots a bit. When tho plant is out, examine thu roots, and any that are broken bhould bo cut with knifo or isccutouis, bo as to remove the damaged portion, which would otherwise decay back and injure tho root .system. uadly-formed bushes with a fot of suckem may bo the reason for lifting. In this ease the mode of lifting will be tlso same, but when the plant is out all suckers should be removed, and all branches that sprang from beneath tho surface, it will not bo miflicient merely to cut them oil, for others would come; examination must be made for buds at their bnso, or on the" stem of tho bush, and these also cut out. The cause of suckers 'is badlymado cutbiug». Tho cuttings should, bo foro they are put in, bo stripped of all buds that will bo beneath tho surfacu of the soil, for they are suro to produce suckers, and none but thoso troubled with weedy ground know what a curso they aro, besides forming ugly bushes. The shortsighted policy which leads peoplo to choose the. cheapest, causes nurserymen to economise their wood, and mako tho cuttings too short to allow for removing the buds, or to leave- sufficient length to form a proper stem; the rc&ult is bushes so dwarf that tho lower branches often touch the giound, leaving no room for the boo, The cuttings should bo 18in long, tho btulß nil cut nwny except about four at tho top, and the cuttings put about 6in in the ground; these will produce very few, if any, suckers, and will havo n stem clear of the. surface. These remarks must not bo taken to apply to Hlnclc Currants. Tliefto should always bo allowed to make suckers; they bear tho best fruit on young wood, and tho suckers afford tho opportunity to remove old branches occasionally, iho suckers taking their pluco. When replanting those bushes, open up a holo wide enough to accommodate the outspread roots, and deep enough to- allow them to bo well covered with soil. Fill in two-third" of the soil, give tho plant a shako or two lo settle the soil among tho roots, then tread it firm j till in tho rest of Iho soil and leave it loose. The same remarks will apply exactly to other fruit trees.