50 BULLETIN 479, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



necessary. When stock reaches a large size before or after trans-* 

 planting 1 , or where there is a deficiency in the water supply during 

 the growing season, wider spacing is justified. It is thought that 

 H-inch spacing in the rows is too close for the large 1-0 fall-sown 

 Douglas fir at the Wind River Nursery, and for 2-0 western yellow 

 pine at Fort Bayard. 



REMOVING SEEDLINGS FROM SEED BEDS OR " LIFTING."' 



The first step in transplanting is digging the seedlings from the 

 seed beds. The tool best adapted to this purpose under all conditions 

 is a flat, straight-handled spade. In seed beds of 200 seedlings or 

 more per square foot one man can dig and deliver to the planters 

 from r>0.000 to 70,000 plants per da}^ of 8 hours, depending largely 

 on the character of the soil and the care taken. The operation con- 

 sists simply of shoving the spade at a slight angle into the ground 

 at a distance of about 6 inches from and parallel to the outer row, 

 and then, by backward pressure on the handle, loosening and lifting 

 the seedlings from the soil which surrounds them. In drill-sown 

 beds the practice is often to drive the spade in behind the row of 

 seedlings and pry them away from the remaining stand. When the 

 seedlings are thoroughly loosened and the soil around them is shaken 

 apart, they can be removed without serious breakage of the roots. 

 Two men work to best advantage. While one works the spade the 

 other grasps the tops of a bunch of seedlings, and, by a weaving 

 motion accompanied by a slight pull, removes a bunch of plants 

 at one time. This is work which should be intrusted to one or more 

 carefully selected crews. At a number of the nurseries one man does 

 it alone. Before starting the operation, the soil should be fairly 

 fresh. If necessary, it should be watered to secure this condition. 

 Garden forks are sometimes used instead of spades. They can be 

 handled more rapidly, but are very likely to skin the roots. 



At several nurseries horse-drawn tree diggers (Pis. XVTIT and 

 XIX) are used for both seedlings and transplants. The principal 

 merit of these is that the trees can be dug very rapidly. The sharp- 

 edged horizontal wedge of the digger shown in figure 2, Plate XVIII, 

 is drawn under the trees at any necessary depth down to 12 inches 

 and loosens a strip of plants about a foot in width. It is somewhat 

 difficult to guide accurately, occasionally coming near the surface 

 and cutting off the roots too closely. Some plants also have their 

 roots badly skinned and the tops of others are trampled by the 

 horses. 



The digger shown in Plate XVIII. figure 1, is a modification of 

 a 14-inch stubble plow. The moldboard is cut in half horizontally 

 and the plow is equipped only with the lower part when digging 



