John Evelyn was a British 17th century tree and forest expert. His 1664 book Sylva (latin for forest) was one of the first books about trees and forests in the UK and is an interesting read. It gives a lot of tips for collecting and transplanting trees, some of which may have been forgotten and I believe could be useful to modern bonsai collectors. The full book is available online at the following link.
https://www.gutenberg.org/files/20778/20778-h/20778-h.htm
I have extracted several quotes below that refer specifically to collecting and transplanting trees. I've added my own comments underneath each quote.
Set them, says he, at All-hallowtide, and command them to prosper; set them at Candlemass, and intreat them to grow.
Implies that the best time to collect and transplant trees is in Autumn rather than early Spring. Something that is only recently becoming more widely accepted in the bonsai community.
Chuse a tree as big as your thigh, remove the earth from about him; cut through all the collateral roots, till with a competent strength you can enforce him down upon one side, so as to come with your ax at the top-root; cut that off, redress your tree, and so let it stand cover’d about with the mould you loosen’d from it, till the next year, or longer if you think good; then take it up at a fit season; it will likely have drawn new tender roots apt to take, and sufficient for the tree, wheresoever you shall transplant him.
Instructions on what we now call trenching in preparation for collection. However, he also suggests cutting the tap root. I have also found that cutting the tap root is better than leaving it since the lateral roots are then more likely to produce new fine roots.
Some are for laying bare the whole roots, and then dividing it into 4 parts, in form of a cross, to cut away the interjacent rootlings, leaving only the cross and master-roots, that were spared to support the tree; and then covering the pit with fresh mould (as above) after a year or two, when it has put forth, and furnish’d the interstices you left between the cross-roots, with plenty of new fibers and tender shoots, you may safely remove the tree itself, so soon as you have loosened and reduc’d the 4 decusseted roots, and shortned the top-roots: And this operation is done without stooping or bending the tree at all: And if in removing it with as much of the clod about the new roots, as possible, it would be much the better.
Another method of preparing a tree for collection to produce fine roots. He suggests to then not bare root the tree, which I assume is to prevent damaging the new fine roots.
A little before the hardest frosts surprise you, make a square trench about your tree, at such distance from the stem as you judge sufficient for the root; dig this of competent depth, so as almost quite to undermine it; by placing blocks and quarters of wood, to sustain the earth; this done, cast in as much water as may fill the trench, or at least sufficiently wet it, unless the ground were very moist before. Thus let it stand, till some very hard frost do bind it firmly to the roots, and then convey it to the pit prepar’d for its new station, which you may preserve from freezing, by laying store of warm litter in it, and so close the mould the better to the stragling fibers, placing what you take out about your new guest, to preserve it in temper: But in case the mould about it be so ponderous as not to be remov’d by an ordinary force; you may then raise it with a crane or pully, hanging between a triangle (or like machine) which is made of three strong and tall limbs united at the top, where a pully is fastned, as the cables are to be under the quarters which bear the earth about the roots: For by this means you may weigh up, and place the whole weighty clod upon a trundle, sledge, or other carriage, to be convey’d and replanted where you please, being let down perpendicularly into the place by the help of the foresaid engine. And by this address you may transplant trees of a wonderful stature, without the least disorder; and many times without topping, or diminution of the head, which is of great importance, where this is practis’d to supply a defect, or remove a curiosity.
An interesting method of collecting / transplanting large trees using wooden boards frozen onto the rootball to reduce root damage while extracting.
Of all the trees which grow in our woods, there is none which does better suffer the transplantation than the elm; for you may remove a tree of twenty years growth with undoubted success: It is an experiment I have made in a tree almost as big more as my waste; but then you must totally disbranch him, leaving only the summit intire; and being careful to take him up with as much earth as you can, refresh him with abundance of water.
Making a point that we already know, that Elm is one of the easiest to collect even with almost no roots. One of the reasons they’re popular as bonsai.
In transplanting Beech, cut off only the boughs and bruised parts two inches from the stem, to within a yard of the top, but be very sparing of the root: This for such as are of pretty stature.
Referring to European Beech. Suggests to remove branches and leave as many roots as possible for best chance of survival.
Walnut are most impatient of transplanting: But if there be an absolute necessity of removing, let your tree never be above four years old, and then by no means touch the head with your knife, nor cut away so much as the very top-root, being so old, if you can well dispose of it, since being of a pithy and hollow substance, the least diminution, or bruise, will greatly endanger the killing.
On the difficulties of collecting Walnut.
An industrious and very experienc’d husbandman told me, that if a Walnut be transplanted as big as ones middle, it may be done safer than when younger; I do only report it: What they hint of putting a tile-shard under the nuts when first set, to divaricate and spread the roots (which are otherwise apt to penetrate very deep)
A reference to the well known bonsai technique of planting over a tile to create strong lateral roots. In this case making it easier to later collect the tree with greater chance of survival.
The root in transplanting would not be much lopp’d; and this (says Mr. Cook) is a good lesson for all young planted trees.
Implying that the more roots the better for Lime (Linden) or any other tree.
In transplanting trees we turn the best and largest roots towards the south, and consequently the most ample and spreading part of the head correspondent to the roots: For if there be a strong root on that quarter, and but a feeble attraction in the branches, this may not always counterpoise the weak roots on the north-side, damnified by the too puissant attraction of over large branches.
Referring to Birch, but possibly other trees as well. Implies that they will respond better if the strongest roots are directed South when transplanting. Perhaps this is a useful tip when choosing how to orient bonsai pots.
The best time to transplant, were in the beginning of April; they would thrive mainly in a stiff, hungry clay, or rather loam; but by no means in over-light, or rich soil: Fill the holes therefore with such barren earth, if your ground be improper of it self; and if the clay be too stiff, and untractable, with a little sand, removing with as much earth about the roots as is possible, though the fir will better endure a naked transplantation, than the pine:
Referring to Fir, Pine and Larch. Implying that Fir can be bare-rooted but Pine cannot. I assume because of dependence on Mycorrhizal fungi (I doubt that was even known at the time).
In transplanting of these coniferous trees, which are generally resinaceous, viz. fir, pine, larix, cedar, and which have but thin and single roots, you must never diminish their heads, nor be at all busie with their roots, which pierce deep, and is all their foundation, unless you find any of them bruised, or much broken; therefore such down-right roots as you may be forc’d to cut off, it were safe to sear with an hot iron, and prevent the danger of bleeding, to which they are obnoxious even to destruction, though unseen, and unheeded:
Advising to not chop conifers, I assume because they don’t backbud like most broadleaf trees and will die back. An interesting reference to sealing cut roots of conifers with heat.
