CHIEF FIRE WARDEN. 57 



normal growing stock is present in a forest, then the 

 actual, or real, increment must be utilized; if the real 

 growing stock is greater than the normal, more than the 

 real increment must be removed; if the real growing 

 stock is smaller than the normal, less than the real incre- 

 ment must be utilized until the deficiency has been made 

 good." 



NURSERIES. 



If one has to plant many acres with pine or spruce 

 trees it will be economical to raise them in a nursery. In 

 such case the ground for the nursery should be prepared 

 with the same care as for a vegetable garden, but should 

 not be manured. Good natural and rather light loamy 

 soil is the best for a nursery. Seed should be sown in beds, 

 and in rows four to six inches apart, after the frost is out 

 of the ground in the spring and when the ground is not 

 wet. As young coniferous plants are very delicate and 

 liable to be killed by the sun unless shaded, a screen, 

 either of laths or of brush, must be kept over them dur- 

 ing the first weeks after they are up. While they remain in 

 the original bed the plants are called * 'seedlings, " but they 

 should not stay in the original beds longer than two years. 

 When one or two years old they can be planted on the 

 ground where they are to remain, or they may be planted 

 and remain one year in other beds, when they are called 

 ' 'transplants, " and then planted for forest. Planting had 

 better be done in moist weather. The skilled workman 

 never allows the hair roots of plants or trees to be ex- 

 posed even for a moment to the sun or dry air. 



WHAT FORESTRY MEANS FOR MINNESOTA. 



What forestry means for Minnesota is simply this: The 

 remaining original pine timber will be cut in the next 

 fifteen years. Some second growth pine, if protected 



