NURSERY AND PLANTATION COMPETITION. 89 



The expenses in connection with this Competition are 

 considerable, but the result seems to justify the outlay; however, 

 in future, it might be found advisable to institute a small entrance 

 fee for each subject entered for competition. 



Estate Nurseries. 



The home nursery is a comparatively new institution on many 

 estates. The nurseries entered for this Competition may be 

 taken as representing a fair average for estate nurseries generally 

 in Scotland, and a glance at the list will show what an astonish- 

 ingly large number and variety of young trees are raised in 

 private nurseries. 



In the great majority of cases, the location of these nurseries 

 showed that such important points as soil, aspect, elevation, 

 slope and surroundings had all been carefully considered in 

 choosing the site. The internal division, of the areas chosen 

 for the raising of plants, into seed-beds, transplanting lines, roads 

 and footpaths showed also skill and forethought. The protection 

 of the nurseries and plants by outside fences and hedges 

 indicated in an unmistakable manner that our foresters have 

 not much to learn in this department of their work. 



The space allotted to the transplants in the nursery lines 

 might have been in a few cases greater, especially in home 

 nurseries where plenty of land is available and the quantity 

 of produce is not limited or regulated by area, as it is in 

 places where land is scarce and rents are high. 



The artistic skill displayed in the embellishment of these 

 home nurseries, by the judicious use of flowering herbs and 

 shrubs, was a feature worthy of note. It must not be forgotten 

 that the estate forester has often, as part of his duties, to attend 

 to the arboricultural amenity of the property as well as to its 

 silvicultural requirements. One is therefore not surprised to 

 find many ornamental trees and shrubs in the home nursery, 

 and these lend a distinct charm and additional interest to 

 these places which might quite appropriately be called nursery 

 gardens. From an esthetic and utilitarian point of view, the 

 home nursery has become a valuable adjunct to every well- 

 managed estate, and might well be ranked along with the 

 vegetable and flower garden in importance. 



