THE FOREST NURSERY 



333 



in a slanting position on an iron frame. The frame is made of 

 5-inch channel iron and the cutting edge of the blade of f-inch 

 steel. The device is drawn lengthwise of the bed by means of a 

 cable and capstan operated by horse power. The blade, which 

 reaches across the bed, can be adjusted for any desired depth. 

 When in operation the machine moves forward at the rate of 

 about 6 feet per minute. The soil with the contained plants is 

 lifted by the blade. As it drops over the rear, 4 men following 

 behind remove the plants from the loosened soil and transfer 

 them to boxes or baskets or to other workmen for heeling-in. 

 Smith reports that this device reduced the cost of lifting coniferous 

 transplants at the Halsey nursery in 1914 to about one-half the 

 cost of lifting by hand. The entire machine weighs approxi- 

 mately 350 pounds and costs about $80 to construct (Fig. 93). 



5. SORTING, COUNTING AND BUNDLING NURSERY STOCK 



As soon as seedlings and transplants are lifted they should be 

 transferred to baskets or boxes for transport to the packing shed, 

 to some other part of the nursery 

 for transplanting, or to the forest 

 plantation . I f there is any delay 

 in getting the stock into baskets 

 or boxes, it should be tempo- 

 rarily heeled-in as lifted to be 

 later taken to the packing shed, 

 transplant bed, or field. During 

 moist and cloudy weather it 

 is sometimes advantageous to 

 count, sort, and pack the stock 

 in the nursery as lifted. When 

 the weather is dry and windy the 

 roots are likely to become over- 

 dry in the process of sorting and 

 counting if done in the open 

 field. 



When seedlings and trans- 

 plants are grown for home use, 

 it is not necessary to count the 

 stock or tie it in bundles with a definite number of trees in each, 

 neither is it necessary to sort out the culls and trees with double 



FIG. 94. 



- Bundle of 50 white pine 

 seedlings (2-0). 



