THE NEW FORESTRY. 121 



species ; to keep up a regular succession of all the species to be 

 used on the estate from one year's seedlings to the final trans- 

 planting stage ; to keep the rows clear of each other ; and to 

 transplant, or severely root-prune with the spade, every two 

 years at least, all those trees that are intended to. go out to 

 form plantations. The transplanting of nursery stock, the 

 object of which is to keep the roots in check, is expensive 

 work, but we find that the same end can be as successfully 

 attained by simply cutting in the roots with a spade in spring 

 or autumn. This work, if done carefully, is far more expedi- 

 tious than transplanting, and few or no trees die. Two men, one 

 on each side of the same row t should go opposite each other and 

 insert their spades, a few inches from the trees, in a slightly 

 slanting direction, on each side of the row, till their spades 

 meet beneath the row ; then, pressing down the handle, the 

 trees should be given a hitch up till the roots are heard or felt 

 to give, and that is enough. Afterwards, a man may go along 

 the row with a foot on each side and press the loosened soil 

 slightly down again. Corsican firs, which could not have been 

 transplanted without loss, we have often treated in this way 

 with complete success. The advantage of the plan is that the 

 roots are checked without being mutilated or exposed, and 

 when the trees are transplanted the following autumn or spring 

 the roots are a fibrous mass close to the stem. 



The instructions given here are general only, because it is 

 presumed that where an estate is large enough to require a 

 home nursery the forester will understand the ordinary details 

 of nursery work. We may add, that the quarters of the 

 nursery should be large and the roads and paths roomy and 

 convenient. The main points are not to over-stock nor neglect 

 transplanting and cleaning 



In Germany the nurseries are very unpretentious affairs, 

 situated here and there in the forests where they are wanted, 

 and are kept clean and in good order — the trees never being 

 allowed to get large before they are put out. Such small plots 

 are soon made in any small clearing, and fenced round with 

 the materials at hand, and, as regards efficiency and usefulness, 

 often surpass expensively laid out and injudiciously stocked 

 nurseries on private estates in this country. 



