362 The Ruffed Grouse 



foot vWdth can be planted without breaking the shoulders. After 

 it is thoroughly raked and leveled, the bed should be rolled to 

 form a firm soil. 



Beds to be used for conifers should have all nutrients added prior 

 to seeding. Never apply lime to conifer beds at any time. Those de- 

 voted to hardwoods may be top-dressed after seeding and at inter- 

 vals through the summer. Fertilization practices will vary with the 

 needs of the soil in each location and the rapidity of growth, and 

 should be about the same as for ordinary farm crops. Likewise, the 

 need for lime will depend on the present acidity of the soil and upon 

 the species to be grown. The conifers need an acid soil while the 

 hardwoods mostly prefer a neutral one. Bayberry is an exception. 



Seeding and Seedling Culture. The time of seeding and rate of 

 seeding are given in Table 12 for each species. It is recommended 

 that the seed be sown by hand broadcast, mixed with sand to get 

 an even distribution where necessary, except v^th bear oak and 

 mountain ash. These two species should be seeded in rows about 

 ten inches apart. 



The method of covering the seed of the conifers is to spread on 

 top of the seed a layer of sand %-% inch thick. For the hardwoods 

 the covering is either soil alone, or soil covered by a mulch. Clean 

 grain straw is suitable for the mulch. Soil covering depth is three 

 times diameter of clean seed or at least a quarter inch. The mulch is 

 removed when the seeds start to germinate. 



Conifer beds should be covered with slat frames about a foot off 

 the ground during the early growth period to give about half shade 

 from the sun. The screens should be removed occasionally during 

 cloudy damp days to prevent the "damping off" of the young 

 plants. The frame covering is gradually abandoned after about mid- 

 summer. 



One of the great problems in most nurseries is providing adequate 

 water during the dry season. Wliere operations are large enough to 

 warrant, an overhead irrigation system should be installed. For small 

 nurseries hand watering or a portable irrigation system must suffice 

 when rainfall is inadequate. 



Competition of weeds with the young seedlings is a big problem, 

 especially during the first half of the summer. Continual vigilance 

 and lots of handwork are necessary to prevent them from stifling the 



