FOREST NURSERY PRACTICE 165 



will be able to perform experimental work greatly in advance of that 

 already accomplished. The work at each government planting station 

 should be put on a permanent basis by training men to the place by years 

 of experience and so arranging the staff and policy that the organization 

 and results will be of permanent value. 



Private nursery practice can be greatly benefited by an improve- 

 ment in the quality of the stock that is being sold and in a greater uni- 

 formity of prices. It is not infrequent to receive the same class of 

 stock from two nurseries, not far apart, and to find a difference in price 

 amounting to several hundred per cent. The variation in quality of 

 material, described in different catalogs as the same class of stock is 

 quite as variable as the prices, and when there is a combination of poor 

 quality and high prices, the result is bound to be an injury to tree 

 planting in general. In addition to the above, it should also be re- 

 membered that there are still interstate dealers who are willing to deal 

 faudulentiy. 



It is to be hoped that steps will be taken to establish a closer re- 

 lationship between the government and private nurseries and that some 

 medium will be made available in technical form. No part of our for- 

 estry, with the exception of forest exploitation and forest utilization, has 

 been practiced more than raising forest trees, yet little authentic in- 

 formation is to be had concerning nursery practice in different portions 

 of this country. This is more than surprising when it is considered that 

 nursery practice is the most intensive work that is done in forestry. 



It is recognized that tree planting for a future timber supply must 

 be based on the knowledge of the best workers and that we are in need 

 of more exact information concerning the right kind of nursery stock and 

 the methods of raising it. 



