28 Practical Forestry 



The site chosen for the seed-beds should be naturally 

 sheltered, or failing this, such artificial shelter as is found 

 necessary should be provided, as exposure of the young 

 plants to cold, cutting winds causes them to become stunted 

 and bark-bound. There should be a few cold frames for 

 raising choice seeds and cuttings, but, as a rule, the less 

 glass the better. In stocking the home nursery, it is always 

 preferable to buy young plants of the kinds most needed, as 

 also a few older specimens of such kinds as it may be deemed 

 advisable to propagate from layers or by cuttings. Seed- 

 lings of many trees and shrubs can be procured from planta- 

 tions on the estate, and when such are grown on, and care- 

 fully transplanted for two. three, or four years in the nur- 

 sery borders, they soon form stout, bushy, and well-rooted 

 specimens of the greatest value for forest planting. This is 

 a good and comparatively inexpensive way of getting up a 

 stock of many trees and shrubs, but particularly such as are 

 reproduced plentifully in a wild state. In the management 

 of a home nursery the amount of care and attention required 

 is certainly great ; but any trouble, as well as expense, 

 connected with starting and keeping it in good condition 

 afterwards will be amply repaid by the increased value and 

 superiority of the stock obtained. 



In the working of the home nursery no hard-and-fast 

 lines can be laid down, the nature of the season having 

 much to do with the time at which the various operations 

 may be taken in hand. A wet spring retards seed-sowing, 

 a damp summer the killing-out of weeds and cleaning of the 

 ground, and early autumn frosts transplanting. 



For the various seasons the nursery- work might, however, 

 be sketched as follows : 



Spring. By February, all trenching, digging, manuring, 

 top-dressing, and such-like work should be completed. 

 Larch and thorn should be planted at once, as they start 

 early into growth, following up with the various kinds of 

 hardwoods and pines. Layers should be planted out and 

 trees for grafting and budding made ready. Collect larch 

 and pine cones, and when quite dry store away in a cool, airy 

 place, until wanted for sowing. During March and April 



