604 



Agricultural Journal of Victoria. 



In both these methods the seed after sowing is raked in or a 

 slight covering of earth thrown over it. Sometimes it is necessary to 

 adopt both systems in one area, as part of the L^nd may be adaptable 

 to strip sowing, and the rest so stony that the patch system has to be 

 employed. There are numerous other methods of planting by seed, 

 but in Victoria the two mentioned will suffice, the others being 

 adaptable only to colder and wetter climates. 



Planting. — The next system we have to consider is planting out 

 the young trees. Undoubtedly this is the surest method of forming a 

 forest, but, at the same time, the most expensive. The first step is 

 the formation of the nursery where the seed is sown and the plants 

 tended till they are ready to plant out. 



The nursery site should be selected near water, but, at the same 

 time, it must be level and well drained. The beds can be of any 

 length, but should not exceed four feet in width, so as to enable the 

 weeding and tending of the seedlings to be done without the necessity 

 of treading on the bed. The tender young plants may, and often do, 

 require shading from either hot sun or frost, so a temporary cover is 

 needed, which should be so constructed as to exclude direct sun's rays 

 and frost, but not interfere with a free current of air or sufficiency of 

 light. The following illustrates a cheap system which has been 

 found to answer the purpose well. 



The construction of these shelters is cheap, being composed, as a 

 rule, entirely of material found in the nursery area or close by. The 

 posts, C, are rough saplings 

 two inches in diameter, with 

 a fork at the top end, and 

 ]3ointed at the lower to 

 enable them to be driven 

 into the ground. The roof- 

 ing, B, is made of grass 

 (thatch), ferns, or small 

 branches with the leaves on. fic.4- 



The roof slopes, to prevent B.— The Roof. C— The Posts supportinn the Roof, 



<lrip on the seed beds; it comes to within 12 inches of the ground on 

 the lower side, and slopes up to about five or six feet above ground 

 on the upper. There is a space of about 12 to 15 inches between 

 the two roofs at the top. The space between the beds is about two 

 feet wide, and serves as a path. The gradual or total removal of the 

 roofing is easily done, and the structure can be abandoned without 

 loss when the nursery has been exhausted of plants. The chief points 

 in favor of this system are utility, cheapness and simplicity, no nails 

 being required, and only a little hay band where fibrous material 

 is not at hand. 



Previous to sowing the seed, a nursery bed should be well 

 watered, especially if the seed is fine. This not only settles the soil, 

 but does away with the necessity of watering, as a rule, until the seed 

 has germinated. As soon as the plants are showing great care must 

 be taken to prevent over watering. The seedlings being tender and 



