68 Location of Nursery. 
a crop of young trees, should not be placed upon it. This evil 
quality in the soil is removed by cultivation and aeration, or 
may be corrected by the application of lime. This state of soil 
is most complained of in connection with old stumps and roots 
of oaks in the valleys. 
Situation and Exposure.—As to situation of the piece chosen 
for nursery, in addition to what has already been suggested, it 
may be remarked that warmth in the soil is necessary to a good 
growth, and a good year’s growth is essential to the production 
of a satisfactory tree. Drainage contributes notably to the 
warmth of the soil. Exposure is also of importance. Plenty of 
sunshine and protection from cold winds are to be secured. 
Sometimes a little elevation is desirable. It would be a serious 
mistake to seek moist, low land if the piece lies at the bottom 
of a little valley cr depression where the cold air settles during 
the night and frosts are frequent. In such cases choose higher 
ground. Of course, in broad, open valleys there is not this 
objection, for such seasonable frosts as may be expected there 
are not injurious to deciduous nursery stock. The greatest 
nurseries in the State are in the open valleys, not on the lowest 
ground, however, in all cases, but on what would be called good, 
rich valley land. There are, however, situations in the thermal 
belts in which the temperature does not fall low enough to check 
growth of deciduous trees and cause the leaves to drop. In such 
cases it has been found desirable to select lower and colder 
ground for the nursery of deciduous trees. 
Preparation of Nursery Ground.—The best preparation tor 
nursery ground is the growth, the previous season, of a hoed 
crop. This will secure frequent working of the soil, thorough 
pulverization of the clods, etc. The produce of the hoed crop 
should thus pay the cost of putting the land in good condition, 
at least. Where the retention of moisture is an object, as it 
really is in some parts of the State where the annual rainfall is 
sometimes small and no facilities for irrigation provided, it will 
perhaps pay better in the end to keep the land in bare fallow 
during the previous summer; but there must be frequent and 
thorough cultivation, keeping the surface always mellow, or 
more moisture will be lost by evaporation than a hoed crop 
would require for its growth. Properly cultivated fallow soil 
will have moisture within a few inches of the surface, while 
unworked soil adjoining will be baked hard and dry to a depth 
of several feet. During the winter immediately preceding 
planting, the green stuff should be allowed to grow for a time, 
but should be plowed under before it.gets high enough to inter- 
fere with perfect turning of smooth furrows. The decay of this 
green crop is of advantage to the soil. Another plowing in the 
