206 ARTIFICIAL FOHMATION OF WOODS. 



For plantinj]; in favourable localities seedling plants may 

 do as well as transplants ; in unfavourable localities the 

 latter are preferable ; also when specially larn;e plants are 

 required. 



The choice also depends on tlie species. In the case of 

 Scotch pine and oak seedlinjj; plants give good results ; in that 

 of most other species transplants are to be preferred. 



A plan sometimes followed consists in classifying the seedling 

 plants when, say, two years old. The best plants are put out 

 directly into the forest, the second class plants are pricked out 

 in the nursery, and the third class, com})rising the weak and 

 misshapen plants, are thrown aw'ay. 



//. Ti'inliiKj Seed Beds and Nurscrij Lini's. 



The seeds, as well as the young plants, require a certain 

 amount of tending, more especially protection against injurious 

 influences. The details of such tending and protecting are 

 given under the head of Forest Protection, In this place only 

 the more important measures directly connected with nursery 

 work will be indicated. 



(1.) The seeds must be protected against birds. These may 

 be kept off by shooting or frightening. If this is impracticable, 

 small seeds may receive a coating of red lead, or the beds may 

 be protected by placing on them thorny brushwood, branches 

 of coniferous trees, grass, etc., or nets may be spread over 

 them, resting on supports, so as to keep them at a suitable 

 distance from the ground. 'J'he latter have tbe disadvantage 

 that they must be lifted when weeding has to be done. Wire 

 netting, beiil in a semicircle over tlie seed beds, is most suit- 

 able ; it needs little sui)[)ort and lasts many years. 



Mice, moles and mole crickets often do much damage ; they 

 must be caught or poisoned. Mice may be caught in pots 

 buried in llu; i)alhways and half tilled with water ; these 

 animals are in tbe halul of running heedlessly along the paths, 

 when tliey fall inl(^ the pots. 



