RAISING PLANTS IN NURSERIES. 



205 



on to the following row and the operation repeated. The 

 method works very expeditiously, and it is an excellent one in 

 principle. It has, however, become the practice to make the 

 trenches so shallow, that the root system of the plants, instead 

 of assuming a natural position in the ground, is altogether 

 bent to one side. The result is that the plants develop a lop- 

 sided root system. It may be easier to put out such plants, 

 besides saving expense, but the system is certainly not favour- 

 able to the development and stability of the trees grown from 

 them. The author has observed, that in many cases trees 30 

 to -10 years old had not yet established a normal root system, 

 and that numerous trees are blown down for this very reason. 

 To produce really good plants, the vertical side of the trench 



should not be less than 10 inches deep, so thai the roots go 

 down straight to that distance (see Fig. 54). The additional 

 expenditure is not more than about one shilling per 1,000 

 plants, 



III. Choice between Secdlbui Phaih and Transplants. 



Each of these two kinds of plants has certain advantages 

 and drawbacks, and it depends on the circumstances of each 

 particular case whether the one or other is preferable. 



Seedling plants are considerably cheaper than transplants, 

 as the latter require a larger area, as well as labour in pricking 

 out and tending. On the other hand transplants are much 

 superior, as they have more room to develop ; especially the 

 root system becomes fuller, more bushy and compact. 



