THE FOREST NURSERY 89 



sown ; that the little trees grown in the seed-beds are termed 

 " seedlings " until removed, which event may occur when 

 they are one, two, three, or four years old. The " transplant 

 nursery " is the ground to which the seedlings are removed 

 in order to develop their root system and make them able 

 to achieve victory in their struggle when set out in the 

 forest. After removal from the seed-bed to the transplant 

 nursery the little trees are known as " transplants." Seed- 

 lings and transplants are, for brevity, designated " plants." 



Location. The main requisite is a deep, fertile, and 

 friable soil, with good drainage and free from stones. In 

 these requirements they are in complete accord with the 

 vegetable garden. The ground selected should not be ex- 

 posed to the sweep of winds, whereby the moisture will be 

 quickly evaporated, nor where the snow will be blown off. 

 Protection from evaporation evaporation is always HH 

 creased by winds and preserving the snow covering that 

 Nature generally puts on the ground in winter are highly 

 essential. The latter is more important than may at first 

 appear. It is fully realized by farmers that a covering of 

 snow on winter wheat or newly seeded meadow is a great 

 protection against the roots being thrown out by the alter- 

 nate freezing and thawing which occurs when the ground is 

 bare in winter, and the same liability to be thrown out under 

 similar conditions exists with little trees in the nursery. 

 When Nature plants tree seeds she protects the infant 

 plants in winter by the shade of larger trees or with a cov- 

 ering of dead weeds, grass, or fallen leaves. 



A slight inclination of the surface is very desirable, for if 

 it is perfectly level, and there should more water fall at any 

 time than can be readily absorbed by the ground, the plants 

 may be greatly injured or killed outright by being sub- 

 merged. A slight descent facilitates underdraining, which 

 will be necessary if not naturally provided for by a loose sub- 

 soil free from water. If the subsoil is a compact clay, and 

 practically impervious to water, underdraining should be re- 

 sorted to, but such a location should be avoided if possible. 



