EVERGREENS OP COLORADO 59 



trees may be smothered. A good deal of damage is sometimes done in 

 the seed beds by birds and rodents of various kinds. In order to insure 

 the safety of the seedlings at all times, it is well to cover the beds im- 

 mediately after planting the seed, with a wire netting nailed to a frame, 

 so that none of these intruders can gain access to the beds. 



The seedlings should be left in the seed beds usually during at 

 least two years and during this time should be given the best of care 

 as to keeping them free from weeds and sufficiently watered. Cultiva- 

 tion between the rows is as desirable in growing such plants as in the 

 vegetable garden, in order to secure the best results. The seedlings of 



Fig-. 44. 



Rocky Mountain Red Cedar. Aged tree 12 feet 

 trunk, growing- on dry rocky ridge. 



tall, 8-inch 



most Conifers are very small and at the end of the second season will 

 be not more than two to three inches in height, except in the case of the 

 yellow pine and the Douglas fir. In the spring of the third year, the 

 seedlings should be transplanted to nursery rows, an operation which 

 encourages the development of a more compact root system and enables 

 the little trees to be spaced far enough apart for vigorous development. 

 For this purpose the little trees are usually planted four to six inches 

 apart in rows twelve to eighteen inches apart in the form of beds simi- 

 lar to those in which the seeds were planted, except that they do not 

 require surrounding with boards. 



