CHAPTER III. 



THE NURSERY. 



WHEREVER planting operations are annually carried out, 

 it is almost imperative to raise the plants in a home nursery. 

 And even if planting be only carried out occasionally, it will 

 in many cases be advisable to make a temporary nursery 

 for a year or two ; especially if the area which it is proposed 

 to plant be of any considerable extent. In all cases, Haw- 

 thorns or " Quicks " should always be raised for estate 

 fencing purposes. 



The great advantages which are presented by the use of 

 plants raised in a home nursery may be summarised as 

 follows : 



(1) There is no delay 1 between raising the plants and 



planting them out. Plants in trade nurseries are 

 often raised months before they are ordered, and 

 " sheued " into lines, so as to have the land cleared. 



(2) They can usually be raised for a very much smaller 



sum than they can be bought for. 



(3) The exact treatment that the plants have received 



is known. 



(4) The quality and origin of the seed is usually known. 



(5) The plants can be accustomed to the soil and situa- 



tion in which they are going to be planted. 



(6) Plants can be sent out from the nursery as they are 



wanted day by day, and if a frost sets in, there need 



1 If plants when ordered from a trade nursery are not in stock, they 

 are obtained elsewhere, and a double railway journey is the result, as, 

 for the sake of appearance, they will be dispatched from the nursery 

 where ordered. 



