130 THE NEW FORESTRY. 



The main objects to be kept in view in a home nursery of 

 forest trees are, not to overcrowd it with more stock than can 

 be handled in time ; not to have too many trees of any one 

 species ; to keep up a regular succession of all the species to be 

 used on the estate from one year's seedlings to the final trans- 

 planting stage ; to keep the rows clear of each other ; and to 

 transplant, or severely root-prune with the spade, every two 

 years at least, all those trees that are intended to go out to 

 form plantations. The transplanting of nursery stock, the 

 object of which is to keep the roots in check, is expensive 

 work, but we find that the same end can be as successfully 

 attained by simply cutting in the roots with a spade in spring 

 or autumn. This work, if done carefully, is far more expedi- 

 tious than transplanting, and few or no trees die. Two men, 

 one on each side of the same row, should go opposite each 

 other and insert their spades, a few inches from the trees, in a 

 slightly slanting direction, on each side of the row, till their 

 spades meet beneath the row ; then, pressing down the handle, 

 the trees should be given a hitch up till the roots are heard or 

 felt to give, and that is enough. Afterwards a man may go 

 along the row with a foot on each side and press the loosened 

 soil slightly down again. Corsican firs, which could not have 

 been transplanted without loss, we have often treated in this 

 way with complete success. The advantage of the plan is 

 that the roots are checked without being mutilated or exposed, 

 and when the trees are transplanted the following autumn or 

 spring the roots are a fibrous mass close to the stem. 



The instructions given here are general only, because it is 

 presumed that where an estate is large enough to require a 

 home nursery the forester will understand the ordinary details 

 of nursery work. We may add, that the quarters of the 

 nursery should be large and the roads and paths roomy and 

 convenient. The main points are not to over-stock nor 

 neglect transplanting and cleaning. 



In Germany the nurseries are very unpretentious affairs, 

 situated here and there in the forests where they are wanted, 

 and are kept clean and in good order the trees never being 

 allowed to get large before they are put out. Such small plots 

 are soon made in any small clearing, and fenced round with 

 the materials at hand, and, as regards efficiency and usefulness, 

 often surpass expensively laid out and injudiciously stocked 

 nurseries on private estates in this country. 



