150 NEBRASKA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY 



claimed that the low system is cheaper tban the high system but in many 

 cases the cost is fully as great. 



There is a great variety in the styles of low shade frames. In most 

 nurseries the width of the screens is four feet with a length of 8 to 12 

 feet. However, the following sized screens are in use at large nurseries: 



3 feet by 4 feet, handled by one man. 



4 feet by 4 feet, handled by one man. 



4 feet by 12 feet, made from woven fencing handled by two men. 



4 feet by 16 feet, handled by two men. 



4 feet by length of beds, made from woven lath which is rolled from 

 one end to the other. 



Where there are strong winds or the screens are made of very light 

 material, it is usually customary to fasten the screens with hinges, hooks 

 and eys. Nearly every nursery has some variation in using this system. 

 Some men leave spaces between two or more beds where the screens 

 may be stacked; others leave open space at the ends of beds; others pre- 

 fer woven lath which may be rolled to the ends of long beds; still others 

 prefer to set posts beside each bed to which the screens may be fastened. 

 In windy regions, where it is desired to remove the entire shade frame, 

 hooks and eyes should be used in place of hnges. Posts may be arranged 

 so as to hold the screens from two beds. 



Soil Preparation. 



In many cases, the original nursery site was covered with native sod 

 and underbrush. Sod land is preferred since underbrush land demands 

 expensive clearing. Both types of land are usually free from noxious 

 weeds. Occasionally, long cultivated areas are secured and such sites are 

 usually in demand because of the soil unifomity, physically and chemically 

 and because nursery operations may be started immediately. 



Deep, thorough stirring of the soil, somewhat similar to that in 

 market gardening practice, is necessary. This can be dene by spading or 

 plowing but the latter is usually prefered because of cheapness. Occa- 

 sionally, plowing has been followed by spading where heavy soils are 

 used. If high shade frames are used, plowing may be done except where 

 posts interfere and the remaining area may then be spaded. Through 

 pulverizing and leveling are essential to proper distribution of soil 

 moisture, evenness in seed sowing and proper root development. Loose 

 sols may require some packing while heavy soils should be as free from 

 packing as possible. 



*Seedbed Preparation. 



Since nurseries are located on valuable soils, it is well to have as 

 small a proportion of the area in paths as possible and still not inter- 

 fere with work in the seed-beds. It is also considered advisable to allow 

 a broader path in open or low shade frames nurseries than in high shade 

 frame nurseries. Even when paths are as small as possible, they will 

 still occupy ten to fifteen per cent of the area. Acenter path, running 



