Domestic Encyclopædia (1802)/Transplantation

TRANSPLANTATION, denotes the act of removing either Cuttings, layers, roots, or entire young plants, from one soil into another.

For this purpose, Mr. Forsyth directs the side-shoots of trees to be cut-in, at different lengths, from one to three feet, according to their size, in the year before they are to be transplanted; allowing them to grow rude, that is, without being nailed in, or cutting either the side or fore-right shoots, during the whole summer. In the course of the winter, the ground ought to be opened around their roots, and the strong ones cut-in; after which they must be covered with soil. Thus, fine young fibres will strike forth; and, in the succeeding autumn, or during the winter (the sooner the better), they may be transplanted as standards; care being taken to place them, like all other trees which are to be removed into different soils, in a similar aspect, or towards the same point of the compass; but, if cuttings are designed to be planted against a wall, Mr. F. advises only the roots to be divided; as by such method a considerable saving will not only result, in time and money, but the trees also will bear fruit, in the fust year after their removal. He remarks, that he has often transplanted old plum-trees that had been headed down, and consequently made very fine roots; which he divided, and "thereby obtained four or five trees from one, cutting them so as to form them into fine heads."—See also Fruit-trees, Orchard, (vol. iii. p. 315), and Planting.