CHAPTER XXV. 



Selecting Plants from the Puhlio Murserles. 



I will now endeavor to give a few practical hints on some matters 

 which, ought to be observed in the selection of plants from the public 

 nurseries in the colony. 



As the operation of planting is somewhat expensive in this country, it 

 is particularly necessary that every precaution be taken to ensure success 

 the first season, so that little or no filling-up planting in after years will 

 be required. A very great means towards this most desirable end is, 

 therefore, the taking care to plant good strong healthy plants only. 

 Of every hundred persons who plant in the colony, perhaps a proportion 

 of something like ninety get their plants fi-om oui- public nurseries. 

 It is very important, then, that our nurserymen should seU the very 

 best of stock only. 



The first thing to consider, when about to purchase trees, should be — 

 Which nursery in the colony comes nearest in soil, situation, aspect, and 

 elevation to the site you are about to plant ? Having found this, then I 

 would say, buy your trees there. This is a very important matter indeed, 

 and ought never to be overlooked. At the present time it is never 

 thought of, and hence no doubt bad results arise. What I mean to 

 impress upon my readers in this paragraph is, that for healthy and 

 generally satisfactory plantations the trees put out should, as far as 

 possible, be reared in a soil and climate somewhat analogous to those of 

 the site of the plantation. At least there ought never to be a very 

 marked difference in these. Hence one very important point in favor 

 of everyone growing their own plants. For instance, how absurd it 

 would it be to plant a piece of poor sandy soil in a high-lying exposed 

 country, with plants reared in a low-lying warm gully, where the soil 

 is a deep black, rich loam, and the situation nicely sheltered from all 

 storms and cold winds. This is apparent, and no further explanation is 

 necessary. 



Plants reared in poor soils are always the best, and can be transplanted 

 out into almost any kind of site, even into one at a high elevation. 



For the formation of plantations in exposed situations, choose plants of 

 a strong, bushy, and generally healthy appearance. Allow no prunuig 

 of the trees before they leave the nursery, nor until after the first year 

 from date of planting. 



