PURCHASE OF PLANTS. 191 



part of the country without serious risk to their health and 

 vigour. The art of raising strong hardy plants has heen so 

 fully developed hy nurserymen, that almost any description 

 of plants is procurable at short notice. 



Under these circumstances the purchase of plants is quite 

 justified in Great Britain and in a few other countries, provided 

 the forester takes care that he receives only good healthy 

 plants of the description indicated on page 171. He must, 

 more especially, see that he receives plants with a properly 

 developed root system — that is to say, one which is full and 

 compact, but at the same time of a natural shape. It has of 

 late years become the practice to lay down the seedlings, when 

 they are pricked out, into shallow trenches, involving the 

 bending over of the root system to one side ; the result is a 

 bushy root system altogether lop-sided. If such plants are 

 put out into the forest, they take years to recover a normal, 

 healthy shape of the root system, and until this takes place 

 they have only a limited hold on the ground, and are liable 

 to be blown over by strong winds. This drawback is often 

 maintained up to middle age, if not longer. Unless 

 nurserymen give up that vicious practice, they must be 

 prepared to see landed proprietors revert to the system of 

 home nurseries. 



In selecting plants care should be taken that they are suited 

 to the locality where they are to be planted. For fertile locali- 

 ties at low elevations well grown tall plants are desirable ; for 

 poor soil, especially at high elevations, short sturdy plants are 

 preferable. It is generally considered best, if no great diffe- 

 rences exist between the soil and climate of the nurser}^ and 

 of the locality where the plants are to be put out. 



2. Plants taken from existing Woods. 



Where operations are conducted on a small scale, and 

 nursery plants are not available, the planting material may 

 be obtained from existing young woods, such as natural 



