FORESTRY QUARTERLY 



Vol. XIV June, 1916 No. 2 



csi 



AN IMPROVED FORM OF NURSERY SEED BED FRAME 



By D. R. Brewster^ 



Some form of protection from mice, other rodents, and birds 

 is necessary at most forest nurseries in order to protect the newly 

 sown seed in the seed beds. Light frames covered with wire 

 netting are commonly used. They vary in width from 4 to 6 

 feet and the length runs from 12 feet, for the portable type, to 

 an indefinite length for the stationary form. The height varies 

 from 6 to 24 inches and the tops are covered with removable 

 screen covers, made in one or more sections according to the 

 length of the bed. In the case of species which need shading, 

 the frame also serves to support the lath shades. 



At some nurseries, where burrowing animals are a serious 

 pest, the wire on the sides is made to extend from 3 to 12 inches 

 below the surface, entirely around the bed, and a portion of the 

 lower edge, from 1 to 3 inches in width, is sometimes turned 

 outward at right angles to the side of the frame to prevent the 

 animals from going under the wire. In such cases the frames 

 are usually set permanently in place, and the work of spading and 

 preparing the bed is done by hand. 



However, it is considered more practicable at most large 

 nurseries to use some form of portable frame which can be 

 removed at the end of the first year, after danger to the seed is 

 past, and used elsewhere. This permits of using horses in pre- 

 paring the ground for sowing and allows more constant utilization 

 of the frames, thus reducing the cost of protection. These 

 portable frames are usually 4 feet wide and 12 feet long and 

 from 8 to 24 inches high. A frame of this type which is in 

 common use is described by C. R. Pettis in Forest Service Bulle- 

 tin No. 76, "How to Grow and Plant Conifers in the North- 

 eastern States," page 16. 



'Forest Examiner in charge of Priest River Experiment Station, U. S. 

 Forest Service, Idaho. 



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