A brief reference may here be made concerning the art of transplantation which is developed to a marvellous degree in Nippon. Ordinarily the trees are easier to transplant when at rest just before beginning to sprout. Generally the roots of the tree to be removed are clipped short, the length varying according to the size of the trunk, care being taken to retain the original earth held by the roots. The branches should be cut off to a considerable degree, but in order to avoid such a sacrifice, leaves should be cut off. In planting, an effort is made to leave no vacancy around the root by pounding the earth around the root with a pole. Water is also used to fill in all the crevices with earth. Caution is necessary not to plant them too deep, for it causes the root to shoot out afresh above the old ones, thus consuming the vitality of the tree. Stays are very essential to keep newly planted trees perfectly steady, not only to keep them from falling, but to enable the fresh roots to spread out. There are many other things to be mentioned in this connection, but we have to pass on to the next topic.
