146 FOREST PLANTING. 



section, and it would doubtless prove an attractive feat- 

 ure in the advertisements of the company's lands if 

 emigrants were informed that fruit and ornamental trees 

 enough to stock the farm would be included in the pur- 

 chase at so much an acre. 



Of course the nursery would be open to all customers, 

 but no one could complain at the preference shown to 

 purchasers of railroad lands. 



It is not improbable that professional nurserymen 

 might be found who would be glad to contract with the 

 company to take charge of the whole work, the railroad 

 furnishing land for the primary nursery, and -facilities of 

 transportation ; and the nurseryman furnishing stock and 

 agreeing to plant a certain amount of forest annually and 

 attend to its culture, and also to supply to every settler a 

 certain amount of fruit and forest trees, proportionate to 

 the amount of his land, to be paid for by the company. 

 This method might on some account be deemed prefer- 

 able, but I do not think the results would be likely to be 

 as satisfactory as the other, though the point of vital 

 importance is the personal character and capacity of the 

 one in charge. If he is an honest man of efficient execu- 

 tive ability, and familiar with the practical requirements 

 of the work, it will be likely to be well done, whether he 

 takes it on contract or as an employed superintendent. 

 The work is so vast and involves so much which must be 

 learned by experiment, that it is hardly possible that any 

 one can escape errors, and it is all important that the 

 unavoidable difficulties should not be complicated by 

 inefficient management and false economy. If the work 



