390 FOREST WORK FOR THE MONTH. [March 



Thinning should also terminate early, as the trees become very 

 sensitive to cold currents of air suddenly set into circulation amongst 

 them ; and the early appearance of epicormic branches upon their 

 stems indicates the injury they have sustained from their late and 

 rapid exposure. Whenever epicormic branches develop themselves, 

 they should be repeatedly dressed off, until they cease to grow at all. 

 Their unchecked development often causes premature maturity in 

 the tree, and materially depreciates the quality and value of the 

 timber. 



NuKSEEY. — This is a season of nursery activity, in clearing out 

 plants, filling up plots, and preparing for other crops. 



Dress up exhausted grounds by copious applications from the 

 manure and compost heaps. Place into rows, stocks for grafting, 

 and root-prune trees intended to be transplanted in the autumn. 

 Sow seeds of alder, birch, elm, laburnum, sycamore, and other 

 deciduous trees ; and graft such ornamental trees as are propagated 

 b}- this method. Dig the ground between the nursery lines to 

 encourage the growth of fibrous roots, and discourage the growth of 

 weeds. A. Patekson. 



Hl'NSTRETE, PeX.SFOKD, BhISTOL. 



SCOTLAND. 



THE felling of hardwoods should now be speedily completed, as 

 should also the thinning of larch plantations. It is important 

 that these operations should be terminated for the season before the 

 buds begin to expand, as during their expansion the risks incidental 

 to thinning operations are greatly increased, specially if followed by 

 the sudden admission of cold air. 



Continue planting operations as recommended last month. 

 Examine recently-formed plantations, remove aU dead trees, cut over 

 hardwoods that have died back or beeome stunted, so as to get up 

 a fresh growth from the root or stock, and make up all vacancies. 

 Autumn transplants should also be looked over where they are 

 likely to have been loosened l^y wind or the action of frost, and 

 firmed up. 



In the nursery, during favourable weather, hands should be get- 

 ting all stuff requisite for the forest cleared out, and in filling up 

 vacant ground with seedlings or other stock. Ample room should 

 be given in the rows so as to procure well-furnished and strong 

 plants, which, if properly treated, will ensure success after planting. 



