14 PROTECTION OF WOODLANDS. 



moisture towards the lower layers is considerably interfered with, 

 whereby the drainage and drying of the upper layer is prevented. 

 As already stated, damage from raising of the earth chiefly 

 occurs in nurseries, owing to the loose naked soil having no binding 

 covering of weeds, or else on falls where sowing or planting has 

 just been carried out. All species of trees do not, of course, suffer 

 from its effects in the same degree, the greatest damage being 

 done to the shallow-rooting species, headed by the Spruce, and to 

 one and two-year-old Silver Fir in seed-beds, whilst seedlings of 

 Oak, Sweet Chestnut, Scots and Black Pine, whose roots strike 

 deeper into the soil from the very first year of their growth, are 

 almost entirely exempt from danger. 



Preventive Measures against plants being lifted by frost are : 



In the Open. Draining of damp patches, avoidance of sowing 

 in localities exposed to danger, and the use of sturdy transplants 

 instead, if necessary with balls of mother-earth around the roots ; 

 in very damp localities even the latter measure is not sufficient to 

 prevent the raising of the transplants, so that tumping or the 

 formation of mounds is advisable. 



In Seed-beds. No breaking up of the soil or rooting-out of 

 grass or weeds from the beds should take place after September, 

 any rank weeds that appear after that being cut away or clipped 

 close to the ground. The spaces between the rows of seedlings 

 can be filled during autumn with leaves, moss, or loose earth, am 

 even the plants themselves can be banked up. Deep paths 

 between the beds help to drain the upper layers of the soil, 

 and thus to minimise the danger. Broad, thickly-sown seed-rillj 

 sometimes recommended as a protection against lifting of th< 

 seedlings by frost, certainly suffer less, but have the still greater 

 drawback of yielding only badly developed plants. 



Remedial Measures when once the Damage has occurred. In the 

 open these are practically confined to pressing back, either with 

 the hands or feet, the balls of earth around transplants, so as to 

 revive the close connection between these and the soil ; but in 

 nurseries, seedlings that have been raised should be pressed back 

 again after the thaw has taken place, and at the same time 

 any portion of the roots still left exposed should be covered with 

 loose soil. 



