SIZES OF SEEDLINGS TO TRANSPLANT 65 



nurserymen have advanced in price. I was recently told 

 by an expert forester that he is unable this year to get 4 to 

 6-inch seedlings anywhere for the price named, $3 per thou- 

 sand. While the risk of transportation and handling may 

 be lessened, there are equal chances for the percentage of 

 trees not surviving, to be increased ; depending largely upon 

 the season and proper handling and transplanting. 



When we compare the above figures of $14 per acre or 

 even $10 per acre with that of the expense of taking up 

 wild seedlings on your own farm and setting them out at 

 an expense of only $1.50 a thousand, as shown in a previous 

 experiment or at a cost of less than $3 per acre, it is easily 

 seen there is a wide difference. Even if the latter expendi- 

 ture reached $5 per acre, thus allowing for purchasing the 

 wild seedlings, and selecting only the better trees, it still 

 would be much nearer a practical forestry operation. 



This comparative cost of purchasing nursery-grown stock 

 at present prices, and utilizing wild seedlings, is given here 

 because at present the demand for seedlings is for imme- 

 diate use. People want seedlings now and will not wait to 

 grow their own seedlings, w^hich, of course, Avould be another 

 question as regards expense. It may be said also on behalf 

 of the nurseryman, in the past the demand has not guar- 

 anteed his growing seedlings on a sufficiently large scale to 

 meet practical forestry prices. Nursery-grown trees, es- 

 pecially here in New England, have been grown for orna- 

 mentation, in planting hedges, and general landscape gar- 

 dening. With an increasing demand the business will in- 

 crease and prices become much lower. 



Sizes of Seedlings to Use for Transplanting. 



• There is a prevalent idea that if the native or wild pine 

 trees are to be transplanted they should be at least a foot 

 or more in height. Nothing can be more erroneous. The 

 larger the seedling or young tree, the more expensive it is 

 to take it up and set it out and the harder it is to make it 

 live. The older the tree, the larger its root system, hence 



