The Home Nursery : its Formation and Management 25 



often proves fatal to young plants ; and, when we consider 

 that few public nurseries are at a greater elevation than 

 about 500 ft., the necessity of proprietors rearing their 

 own stock, whose plantations are, perhaps, upwards of 

 1,000 ft. above sea-level, will the more readily be seen. 

 There are certain difficulties to contend with in planting 

 high-lying ground, more especially if the soil is poor and 

 thin, and the situation exposed, and in these cases the 

 advantage of using hardy plants that have frequently been 

 transplanted in a well- chosen home nursery at a fair alti- 

 tude is very noticeable, especially when contrasted with 

 others that have been grown under more favourable cir- 

 cumstances and in a sheltered position. Some plants seem 

 better adapted than others for this removal, but in the 

 majority of cases the shock sustained by transferring from 

 low-lying ground to that at a great elevation is only too 

 apparent, and one from which the plants seldom recover. 

 The same holds good in the case of seaside and town 

 planting. 



Of late years in particular, a good deal of comment has 

 taken place as to the necessity of rearing trees from seed 

 sown on the site of the future plantation, and although the 

 suggestion has many points in its favour, still artificial 

 planting is better adapted to the wants of our country, 

 and is not at all likely to be superseded by natural repro- 

 duction, which is more fitted for countries differently situated 

 from our own. 



The nursery treatment of plants is, therefore, sure to 

 remain a prominent feature of British forestry, and this 

 being the case, the soil and situation, as well as the most 

 successful treatment of these, with a view to producing 

 plants suitable for the positions they are intended to occupy, 

 will require due consideration. This will vary much accord- 

 ing to the situation of the estate and ground to be planted. 

 In choosing the site of a home nursery, a great deal will de- 

 pend on the general elevation and exposure of the estate. 

 The situation should neither be too much exposed nor yet. 

 too sheltered, and should have a southern or western 

 aspect ; for, although too sudden a change from sheltered 



