COST OF PACKING SEEDLINGS 59 



small piles or baskets, protecting the roots from the sun. 

 Averaging all conditions which varied from sod to those 

 gro^\Ti in leaf mould, each man averaged from 175 to 250 

 trees per hour. It is a safe estimate to say that seedlings 

 of two years of age can be dug for about 75 cents per thou- 

 sand when moderately thick. 



(2) Cost of Packing. Where the trees are not to be 

 shipped, of course this item of expense is not reckoned. 

 Where they are to be shipped, however, the best method we 

 could devise was to use the ordinary Boston market bushel 

 box. As shown in the accompanying photograph, they can 

 be placed flatwise in two tiers, the roots coming together in 

 the center of the box, where damp sphagnum moss is packed 

 about them; or the box is placed on its side and the seed- 

 lings are laid one on top of the other, the roots towards the 

 bottom. The bottom of the box is first packed with damp 

 sphagnum. When the boxes are filled, slats are nailed over 

 the top to hold them in place. By the first method 600 trees 

 can be packed in a bushel box, and there is little danger of 

 their heating or drying out. If wet occasionally, they have 

 kept for several weeks thus packed. 



The other method enables one to pack the seedlings much 

 closer in the box and those thus packed averaged from 1,200 

 to 1,400 trees. The latter method of packing is the quickei' 

 and cheaper, but not adapted for shipping long distances. 

 For most purposes, however, it is the more practical, as 

 they will stand shipment for a week or even more thus 

 packed, before being transplanted. The cost of packing is 

 nominal. If the seedlings are handled well when pulled 

 and kept in bunches of tw^enty-five each with roots and tops 

 together, one man can pack ready for shipment 20,000 in 

 one-half day. The bushel boxes are worth 10 cents each. 

 In the 22,000 dug no account was made in the packing, but 

 all was included in the 75 cents per 1,000 as cost of digging 

 and packing. If packed according to the first method 

 named, it would take twice as long as when stood up in the 

 bushel box. 



