198 Plantations and Home Nurseries Competition, 1914. 



Part of the ground is cropped with potatoes to ensure the 

 land being thoroughly cultivated and cleaned. 



The second prize was awarded to Sir R. Greene-Price, 

 Bleddfa, for a nursery of ^ an acre, on light soil, at an altitude 

 of 500 ft. The situation is a steep slope, with a south-west 

 aspect, and the plants, it was evident, are liable to suffer 

 considerably from drought, as was seen by the seedlings lined 

 out this spring. There was some useful material read}' to go 

 out into the woods, the only fault to be found being that many 

 of the trees are allowed to stand too long in the nursery lines. 

 This adds considerably to the cost of transport and planting, 

 besides, large trees take a much longer time to become 

 established than smaller, and the chances of success are 

 considerably lower. 



Class III., for a Temporary Forest Nursery. There 

 was only one entry in this class, and it was awarded a second 

 prize. It is on the estate of Mr. T. J. Mytton More, Linley, 

 Shro])shire, and has only recently been formed. It is carrying 

 its hrst stock of trees, to the number of about 90,000, which 

 were purchased as seedlings from public nurseries in this 

 country. Although they were being watered, the plants were 

 suffering from drought. The situation is dry and very much 

 exposed to the sun and drying winds. These adverse con- 

 ditions may to some extent be overcome as shelter is established, 

 but it was thought that a more favourable site might have 

 been obtained. 



CoNCLUDiNrx Remarks. 



It appears to be worth recording that in the whole district 

 visited — on all soils and at all elevations — the outstanding 

 tree is beech. Everywhere splendid specimens were seen, 

 sometimes as single trees and again forming large groups, and 

 it is to be regretted, from every point of view, that little or 

 none is being included in the species used in so manj' of the 

 young woods now being formed. It was often put forward 

 as a reason for not planting this species, that it is of practically 

 no value as a timber tree, but it has already been pointed out 

 that, on at least one estate. Is. 2d. per cubic foot has been 

 realised for well-grown stems, and there is a demand for more 

 of the same quality. It shoiild also be borne in mind that 

 the volume of beech produced per acre is very large. 



On a certain amount of land at comparativelj' low elevations 

 and on soils more suited to the successful growth of hard- 

 woods, there appears to be a disposition to plant onlj' conifers, 

 which, perhaps, is not to be encouraged. Judging from the 

 results seen in some pai'ts of the disti-ict, it would appear that 

 the successful growing of hardwoods has become almost a 

 "lost art." 



