FOREST NURSERIES AND GARDENS— SOME SUGGESTIONS. 57 



In addition to its use for the ordinary work of raising young 

 trees, the nursery will form an important section of the laboratory 

 of the teacher of forestry in connection with the following, 

 among other subjects of special study, viz. : — The germinative 

 capacity of seeds of various species ; intervals of time elapsing 

 between sowing and germination ; methods of treatment to 

 hasten germination ; methods of protecting sown seeds against 

 the depredations of birds, mice, etc. ; methods of storing seed ; 

 methods of husking and cleaning seed ; weighment of seeds, with 

 comparison of the results obtained by sowing relatively heavy 

 and relatively light seed of various species ; depth of soil-covering 

 best suited to each species ; root and stem development of the 

 several species at various ages ; preservation of root fungi pro- 

 moting growth ; green crop and chemical or other manure best 

 suited for nursery work. Observations on the above and other 

 subjects will no doubt be regularly made and recorded by the 

 teacher of forestry, much of whose time will be thus occupied ; 

 and on this account, as well as to enable students to pay 

 frequent visits to it, the nursery should be situated as near as 

 possible to the class-room. It should be rectangular in shape. 

 The soil should consist of light loam, and water must be 

 obtainable on the ground. In conclusion, it may be added that 

 all ordinary nursery work must be conducted on business lines, 

 with a view to the production of the best possible plants at the 

 smallest possible cost. Expenditure in connection with the 

 subjects of special study above referred to would not form a fair 

 charge against the nursery, as it would be incurred for in- 

 structional purposes, and it should be charged separately. 



III. Forest Garden or Example Plots. 



Unlike the Demonstration Forest, in which crops will be 

 grown to full size, the Forest Garden will exhibit them up to a 

 certain age only, and this for the obvious reason that on the 

 smaller area there will be no room to show all stages in the 

 growth of the numerous species that will appear there. Any 

 attempt to treat the garden as a Demonstration Forest, by per- 

 mitting a desire for direct profit to influence its management, 

 would greatly impair its capacity to fulfil its legitimate purpose. 



In common with the forest nursery, the garden is an adjunct 

 of the lecture-room, and it should, as regards all details of 



