56 TRANSACTIONS OF ROYAL SCOTTISH ARBORICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



II. The Forest Nursery. 



In the second volume of his Manual of Sylviculture, Dr Schlich 

 deals with 32 species of trees, of which 21 are " hardwoods" and 

 the remaining 11 are conifers. To these may be added some 

 8 or 10 exotic conifers, which it is desired to study with a view to 

 their use as forest-trees in this country ; so that provision should 

 be made for the raising in the nursery of at least 40 species, of 

 which one-half may be conifers. 



If one-twentieth of an acre be allotted to each species, each 

 may occupy a plot of ground 15 yards square, with 17 square 

 yards over for seed-beds and minor paths. 



In the case of conifers, seed-beds showing both one-year-old and 

 two-year-old seedlings are required ; and the nursery lines must 

 show transplants that have stood in them (whether shifted or 

 not) for one year and for two years. The plot of 1 5 by 1 5 yards 

 may therefore be subdivided into two equal portions, each 

 measuring 15 by i\ yards. 



If the nursery lines are drawn at, on an average, 9-inch 

 intervals, and if the plants are set at 3 inches apart within them, 

 there will be, in each subdivision, 30 such lines, each 45 feet 

 long, and containing 180 plants. The total number of plants 

 will therefore be 5400. To keep the nursery going, this number 

 of seedlings will be required annually, and they can be raised on 

 a pair of seed-beds each covering 4 or 5 square yards. The 

 whole plot will carry some 10,000 or 11,000 plants. 



In the case of " hardwoods" the nursery lines may be on an 

 average 18 inches apart, and the plants may be placed at 4-inch 

 intervals within the lines. On the plot of 1 5 by 15 yards there 

 will thus be 30 such lines, each 45 feet in length and carrying 

 135 plants, the total number of plants being about 4000. 



In addition to the two acres required to raise the 40 species 

 above referred to, provision must be made for other species, 

 which it may, later on, be desired to show in the nursery, and 

 the area must be increased by one-third to allow of periodic 

 green-crop manuring. Space must also be available for the 

 carrying out of such special experiments as it may be necessary 

 to undertake. On a part of the ground young trees will be 

 allowed to grow beyond nursery age, and space will be required 

 for buildings and roads, so that a total area of at least 4 acres 

 is necessary. 



