96 PRINCIPLES OF AMERICAN FORESTRY. 



a place as this, or in woodlands where these conditions 

 can be fulfilled, evergreens can be raised with much cer- 

 tainty, while if planted in the open ground, most kinds 

 are sure to fail. 



The Most Common Cause of Failure with those who 

 try to raise Evergreens is what is known as "damping 

 off," which occurs only while the plants are growing rapidly 

 the first year. In such a case the seeds start well, and 

 the seedlings grow vigorously for a short time, or until 



FIG. 23. Evergreen seed-bed shaded with a screen of old brush 

 placed on a frame. 



we have a spell of damp weather, and then die off with 

 great rapidity. It seems that the sunlight and the mud 

 that has been spattered on the plants so weaken them 

 that they are liable to disease. For this reason we shade 

 the bed and cover with sand, which will not allow the 

 mud to be spattered over the seedlings, and in very moist, 

 warm weather we occasionally apply dry sand to dry off 



