At a recent meeting of the Germantown (Pa.) Horticultural Society, Joseph Meehan, in speaking of "The Best Time to Transplant Trees,"said in substance: "This is not an easy question to answer. We may say certain seasons are favorable ones, but to name any time as invariably the best, cannot be done. A great deal of the success in transplanting trees depends on the season following. A mild winter may follow fall planting, or a cool, moist summer that of spring. In such cases the plantings would most likely be successful. There are two things required for success in planting, viz: the saving of all fibres and a favorable season following. Trees cannot live without fibres. Roots are of little account, except to sustain the tree in place. It is the small thread-like roots which feed the tree through their tips. A tree with all its fibres saved is safe at any time. Florists carry out this principle nowadays in potting plants. When the soil is worn out the plant is washed of the earth around its roots. Thus every fibre is saved and the plant grows right on. But in moving large trees it is almost impossible to save every root and fibre; some are generally lost. A very favorable time to the production of new fibres is early fall, as has been often proved.

Trees transplanted in September will throw out at once a lot of fibres which will supply the tree with sap for the winter. Early fall is much better than late fall, when roots have been lost in digging, on account of this renewal of fibres. Early spring planting is good, because the ground becomes settled before the buds burst and evaporation commences. Fibres have time to form before the leaves, and thus the necessary moisture is supplied. The most unfavorable time to transplant a tree, which has lost many roots, is just as the buds are bursting. The young leaves are calling for moisture rapidly, and the fibres or mouths to convey the food are not there, and the tree dies. It may be repeated then that trees with all their fibres are safe in spring or fall. Early fall is an excellent time, as the ground being warm it induces new fibres to form. Early spring is good as the tree settles in position before growth commences."