136 REPORT OF THE No. 3 



(1) Nursery Operations 



Nursery operations commenced on March 11th, seven days earlier than last 

 year. A comparatively mild winter resulted in shallow soil freezing, and by 

 the first of April practically all species were lifted, heeled-in by the shipping shed 

 and ready for distribution. 



In addition to 1,412,000 deciduous species which were lifted during the late 

 fall of 1929, 5,440,000 conifers were raised in the spring of 1930, making a total 

 of 6,852,000 trees for permanent disposal. 



{a) Fertilizers. 



Forty-five acres of soy beans were turned under at Station No. 1, and at 

 Station Nov 2 thirty acres of rye and vetch and five acres of field peas were 

 ploughed down for their fertilizing value. 



Barnyard manure and commercial fertilizer applied at Station No. 1 was 

 slightly less than that used during the previous year. 



A large pile of bog heads and muck which had been decomposed three 

 years, was spread on standard seed-bed Compartment No. 3. Two hundred 

 and twenty-five truck loads provided a dressing to an average depth of four 

 inches. This was applied in September of the current year, leaving ample time 

 to work the fertilizer in, and mix thoroughly with the underlying soil. 



A new pile of muck soil in excess of 300 wagon loads has been built up this 

 year and will function in relieving future fertilizer purchases. 



ip) Tree Seed. 



Seed collections at the local Station were considerably less than last year. 

 The quantity of jack pine seed on hand make it unnecessary to collect much of 

 this species. A few bushels of Scotch pine cones were accepted, while no white 

 pine cones of local origin were brought in. Norway spruce cones were fairly 

 plentiful, and black walnuts prolific. In connection with black walnut propa- 

 gation, an experiment conducted during the recent year proved conclusively 

 that a higher percentage of germination is obtainable where the husk has been 

 removed prior to planting. 



Consequently, 819 bushels of walnuts were husked by passing them through 

 a motor-driven machine specially constructed for the purpose. 



Several countings reveal that there are on an average 400 black walnuts 

 (husks on) to the bushel, whereas there are 1,600 nuts to the bushel (husks 

 removed). 



Where the husks are removed, nicety of handling in planting is greatly 

 increased and a more regular germination procured, since the nuts may be 

 covered to an even depth. 



TREE SEED ON HAND— FALL, 1930 



Amount 



Species in Pounds 



Red Pine 88 



White Pine. 207 



Scotch Pine 7 J^ 



Jack Pine 493 



White Spruce 380 



Norway Spruce 80 



White Cedar 73^ 



Sitka Spruce 10 



Austrian Pine 12 



Black Locust 50 



Honey Locust 10 



Balsam 12 



Total 1,423 



