Planting in Seed- Beds and Nurseries. 43 



trees will suffer less from the change, and be iii better condition to 

 take a vigorous start. 



163. Trees from nurseries should have their roots exposed as lit- 

 tle as possible to the air, and they should be planted immediately 

 after they are unpacked. It sometimes happens that lots intended 

 for different persons are sent in one box, to one address. If the own- 

 ers are not present to receive them, they may lie hours or days in 

 the dry air, and when planted the chances are that none will be 

 found alive. A little common sense and thoughtful care would 

 prevent this disappointment. If the trees can not be at once planted, 

 they should be at least " heeled in," by covering the roots with soil, 

 and dampening it a little if dry. They may be sometimes thus 

 kept through the winter, in cases where from overflow or mirey soil 

 they can not be taken up from the soil where they have been started, 

 in time for early planting. 



164. The age at which trees should be set for permanence depends 

 upon soil, exposure, and other circumstances that render it difficult 

 to fix a general rule. For ordinary planting, however, one year in 

 the seed-bed and two years in nursery rows, may be stated as the 

 general rule. But for exposed hillsides, they do better oftentimes 

 when the seedlings one year in the beds, and one year in the rows, 

 or two years in the beds and one in the rows, are taken. 



165. In the oak, it has been recommended to cut off the tap-roots 

 with a sharp spade, when the plants are young, and before taking 

 them from the seed-bed. They are allowed to stand the first win- 

 ter, and when re-set the next spring, in nursery rows, the lateral 

 roots appear abundantly. In time another tap-root will form, which 

 is again cut off before final planting. 



166. Another plan recommended by Duhamel consists in paving 

 the seed-bed with flat stones, along the line of the rows, and 'at a 

 proper depth below the surface, so as to stop the descent of the tap- 

 roots, and compel the formation of laterals. 



167. More recently a method has been proposed in France, for 

 securing a dense growth of lateral roots in the seedling oaks, that has 

 been fbund quite successful. 1 The acorns are thickly spread over a 



1 M. H. Levret, in a publication by the French Forest Administration, 

 issued in 1878. 



The same author suggests another method, which consists in pinching off 

 the plumule within five or six days after it appear-, by which the first, i-m- 



