Practical Sylviculture 



from weeds and -tones and well drained. A nurs< i \ 

 location in which tin- soil is poor may readily be made 

 ^uitable by improving the soil and preparing as for a 

 garden. The average sized 1'arm-woodlot does not call 

 for a great many seedlings at any one time, so that when 

 only a few thousand seedlings are required, a part of the 

 vegetable garden may oftentimes be set aside for this 

 purpose. When this is not practicable, the site should be 

 chosen in which there is no danger of disturbance from 

 the farm stock, from rabbits and mice, and as far from bird 

 attractions as possible. Usually water is necessary at 

 some time of the growing season, so that the water supply 

 should l>e near at hand in case of severe and prolonged 

 dry weather. 



Preparing the seed-beds. There need be no difference 

 whatever in the preparation of the soil for growing seed- 

 lings from that of an onion or a lettuce bed. When it is 

 not practicable to plow the ground, it may be spaded and 

 thoroughly raked and the soil pulverized and reduced to a 

 -month -uriacr. The most satisfactory width for seed- 

 beds is tour !'< -t. This enables one to reach readily all 

 parts of the bed for weeding and transplanting pur)>< 

 and al-o to use ordinary building lath for shade -cn-en-. 

 Tin- seed-beds may lie any length. When several beds 



an- made up side by side, there should be a path two feet 

 wide between them, and if the ground is sloping, the bed- 

 -hould run at right angles to the slope. If the soil is rich 

 and inclined to be moi-t. the bed- >hould be raised about 

 four or more inches above tin- path. On dry or sandy 

 -oil. th<- | M -d- -hould be on the -aim- level as the path. 

 Th- laying-out of the s. may be such as to -mt 



