1885.] FOREST WORK FOR THE MONTH. 315 



stubby plants for exposed situations, and on no account accept 

 plants for such places, or indeed for any situation, which have 

 been grown too close in the lines, and consequently have become 

 overdrawn and constitutionally weak. Special care is necessary 

 at this season to have the roots well protected from frosty or 

 drying winds when conveying the plants from one place to 

 another. 



In the nursery, all stock which has been two or more years 

 in the lines, and which may not be required for this season's 

 operations, should be transplanted ; or if this cannot be overtaken, 

 it should be well loosened up with a spade or fork, thinned if 

 necessary, and pressed into line again. When lifting plants, care 

 should be taken not to pull them up until thoroughly loosened, 

 otherwise the roots will suffer injury. Make an early selection 

 of all young stuff required to fill up vacant ground. Exhausted 

 plots should be top-dressed, or well manured, and a green crop 

 taken. 



Continue the general thinning of plantations. As the timber 

 trade is in such an unsatisfactory state, especially for the smaller 

 classes, thinning should be very sparingly executed, in the hopes 

 that trade will soon improve and prices advfince. The cutting of 

 hardwoods should be well finished, if not completed during the 

 month, and, if possible, all thinnings and clearances of birch. 

 The thinnings should be cleared away in a manner to prevent 

 injury to the growing or standing trees, and disposed of to suit 

 local requirements, or otherwise to the best advantage. 



See to the condition of fences ; those intended to be rabbit- 

 proof will yet require attention. Wire netting is the only sure 

 safeguard against injury by ground game to young plantations or 

 standard trees. Tarring or the various compositions recommended 

 are, in my opinion, not to be, at least generally, approved of. 

 Preparations for the formation of young hedges should be well 

 advanced, so that the work may be completed at the earliest 

 possible opportunity. ="'•' -''•'■•"'ojq " 



With a return of fresh w'eather, groundwork irttpi'o'veTne'nts may 

 again be satisfactorily carried on. The digging and clearing up of 

 shrubberies may be attended to. Where extension is desired, 

 layering may be resorted to ; peg down with a forked stick straggling 

 branches, and cover with a little earth. D. S. 



