NURSERY PRACTICE ON THE NATIONAL FORESTS. 



When the spray falls in a 10-foot radius, this equals from L.8 to L.9 

 inches of rainfall per hour. It may occasionally he necess:irv i<> u <• 

 10 or 12 sprinklers at one time, which means that there must be a vs i I 

 able at least from 40 to 75 gallons of water per minute. 



SOIL. 



In choosing the location for a nursery, soil possessing the besi 

 chemical and physical properties should be selected. Forest Service 

 experience has not indicated that it should resemble the soil of the 

 planting site, especially where that is poor. Plants grown in poor 

 soil, particularly dry soil, are forced to extend their roots in search 

 of moisture; and when such plants are removed frcm the nursey the 

 fine feeding roots are almost certain to be cut off and the stock ren- 

 dered less fit for field planting. Thrifty plants with a normal root 

 development grown on good soil generally offer the best chance for 

 success. 



The soil should be sufficiently fertile; but desirable physical quali- 

 ties, such as moderate freshness, friability, and depth, are of more 

 importance than chemical ones, since the latter may be more easily 

 changed through the use of fertilizers than the former. 



A soil with a sandy foundation, particularly a sandy loam, is 

 better suited for nursery operations than one with a clay or limo 

 foundation (see PI. I). The latter dries out and warms up slowly 

 in the spring, delaying nursery operations and retarding the growth 

 of the plants; it freezes and heaves much more decidedly than the 

 former; it is more difficult to work in plowing, cultivating, and 

 transplanting operations; the roots skin more when the trees are 

 dug; it forms a hard surface and cracks upon drying; seedlings 

 sometimes have difficulty in pushing through it ; the development of 

 the fine, lateral roots is not so good as in lighter soils; and weeds 

 obtain a much firmer foothold. On the other hand, a soil extremely 

 light, sandy, or loose should be avoided because of the rapidity with 

 which it dries out, the too extensive and undesirable root development 

 which it fosters, and the danger of general unthriftiness of the 

 plants. 



If the surface soil is a good, fairly moist, retentive, sandy loam, 

 the deeper it is the better. Where it is deep there will be an abundant 

 supply of fertility upon which to draw, the infertile subsoil will not 

 be disturbed by plowing and mixed w T ith the other soil, and the soil 

 conditions will be ideal for the development of excellent stock. A 

 very desirable combination is good, porous surface soil from 3 to -i 

 feet in depth, underlaid by a more retentive subsoil. Such a sur- 

 face soil is of sufficient depth to allow the necessary drainage: am 

 as moisture is needed it can be drawn from the retentive subsoil 



