APPENDIX. XXXV 



much better results have been obtained with larch seed from 

 Scotland than with Alpine seed. For planting on dry areas in 

 the United Provinces teak seed should be obtained from dry locali- 

 ties in Bombay or the Central Provinces in preference to seed 

 from trees growing in a moist climate.* 



(4) Nursery work and direct sowings. 



The importance of good nursery work has lately been insisted 

 on in Bengal, where planting is usually preferred to direct sowing, 

 and the technique of nursery work has been standardised. The 

 authors of the Forest Eecord already quoted rightly insist on a 

 good site, proper lay out and shading of the seed beds for those 

 species which require this treatment. Their work aims at produc- 

 ing by early sowing, intensive tending and adequate watering 

 plants fit to put out at the beginning of the rains. Coniferous 

 seedlings in the United States are raised on similar lines and in 

 many cases shading the seed beds by lath screens in order to pro- 

 tect the young seedlings from wind and sun has been found to be 

 necessary and is now part of the routine. The question of trans- 

 planting in the nursery has given rise to a certain amount of 

 controversy. In Bengal the young seedlings are pricked out as 

 soon as they are big enough to handle. In Jaunsar deodar plants 

 are tended in the nursery for 2 years and 7 months and twice 

 transplanted before being' put out in the forest. In Kulu no 

 transplanting in the nursery is ever done and seedlings are put 

 out direct in the forest when 18 months old thereby enormously 

 reducing the costs of planting. It is believed that the present 

 excessive costs of planting in Britain could be reduced by using 

 small seedlings instead of large expensive transplants and that 

 better results would be obtained. It is significant that the con- 

 sensus of opinion in Bengal is that the only safe and successful 

 way of planting is to put out small seedlings. 



* Tourney " Seeding and PUnting." c Chf Foreit Pock't Book- 



