CHAPTER II 



THE NURSERY 



THE majority of trees grown in this country are raised from 

 seed, the principal exceptions being elms, poplars, limes, and 

 willows. It cannot be impressed too emphatically upon every 

 owner of land who does even a small amount of planting each year, 

 that a small private nursery is practically essential to the well-being 

 of his woods. 



The advantages are : — 



(i) Whereas with a home nursery a few plants may be planted, 

 accordingly as labour and weather allow : without a home nursery 

 a large number of plants must be purchased at one time. These, on 

 arrival, must be planted without delay, or else they must be 

 "heeled" ; in the former case, it may be inconvenient to provide the 

 labour at once ; in the latter case, the vitality of the plants suffers. 



(2) The plants become acclimatised to the particular conditions 

 under which they are to be grown, and they may be left in the 

 ground until the season is favourable. 



(3) Damage from frost, drought, or the heating of the plants 

 during a journey is avoided. 



An objection which is sometimes raised to the home nursery, is 

 that the ordinary working forester has not sufficient skill required 

 for nursery work. Care and common sense, however, are all that 

 is required. The chief difficulty lies in the raising of the seedlings ; 

 but even so, seedling plants may be purchased, and lined out in the 

 nursery. Moreover, self-sown seedlings may be taken from the 

 woods and lined out, as described later. But the author's experience 

 leaves him no hesitation in strongly advocating a home nursery. 



The site of the nursery is important, especially as regards frost and 

 drought. An eastern slope should be avoided ; for, in the spring- 

 time, the rays of the rising sun strike directly upon the shoots which 



