THE FOREST NURSERY 335 



6. METHODS OF STORING NURSERY STOCK 



Many nurserymen lift their stock in late autumn before the 

 ground freezes or in early spring as soon as the soil is free from 

 frost and store it until ready for shipment or transport to the 

 plantation or transplant bed. When large operations are under 

 way or when stock is purchased from commercial nurseries, weeks, 

 or even months, often intervene between the lifting of the stock 

 and the final resetting in the transplant bed or field. It is some- 

 times packed and repacked two or three times. Under such 

 conditions the utmost care must be taken in order to prevent the 

 stock from becoming severely injured. Deciduous stock can be 

 lifted in the autumn and held over winter in storage with much 

 greater success than evergreen stock. 



Nursery stock is usually stored by one of the following methods: 



a. Heeled-in in the open. 



b. Heeled-in under cover. 



c. In cold storage. 



d. In snow or ice pits. 



The term heeling-in is applied to the temporary burying of the 

 plants in moist soil in order to prevent the roots from becoming 

 dry. Deciduous species can be completely covered with soil. 

 At least a portion of the tops of evergreen species should ordi- 

 narily be exposed to the air but not to direct sunlight. 



When small stock is heeled-in in the open a trench is dug in 

 loose, well-drained soil with the wall sloping slightly from the 

 vertical. The plants are arranged in an upright position in a 

 thin layer against this wall. It is particularly important that they 

 be disposed in a thin layer if they are to remain for some weeks 

 in the trench. W'hen the stock is placed in thick layers or in 

 untied bundles, it is impossible to bring the soil into intimate con- 

 tact with the roots and they are likely to become overdry. If 

 coniferous stock is overwet and the tops are covered with leaves 

 or other litter, it often molds and becomes worthless. The trench 

 should be deep enough to prevent the bending of the roots or 

 otherwise cramping them out of their natural position. As fast 

 as the plants are arranged along the sloping wall, a workman fills 

 in the soil against them taking it from the opposite wall so as to 

 form the next trench. Soil should be piled against the roots and 

 the lower part of the stems and carefully worked in between them 

 with the fingers and firmed with the feet. 



