TREE CULTUKE IN SOUTH AUSTEALIA. 73 



close fittiag, in order to thoroughly protect the plants, which will be placed 

 inside, from the hot winds coming from that direction. The top should 

 consist of sHdiug shades, made of deal framework, with bamboo reeds 

 nailed lengthways to it. These shades must be made portable, in order 

 that they can be removed at will, and thus prevent the drawing up of 

 the young plants, which, as I have already pointed out, is very objection- 

 able in the rearing of forest trees of any kind. 



Fig. 57 represents a Propagating Shed of the kind referred to ; 



Figs. 64, 55, and 56 show the mechanism of sliding frames for the 

 top ; and 



Fig. 58 the ground-plan of the shed. 



A building of this kind is indispensable for the rearing of plants in a 

 climate such as ours, and may be used for potting plants, and for the 

 storage of such as may be of a somewhat tender nature. 



I shall now endeavor to give some general directions in regard to the 

 rearing af j'oung trees. There are three ways of doing this, namely, (1) 

 open root in the nursery-beds ; (2) in pots ; and (3) in bamboo reeds. 

 Each of these systems has its special features and recommendations, and 

 I propose, then, to describe the modus operandi of each separately, and 

 at the same time to indicate the particular kinds of trees which are best 

 reared under each one. I begin with that of — 



Plants Grown Open-Root. 



Briefly described, this consists of growing the plants in the open 

 ground, without reference to any artificial aid for keeping the soil about 

 their roots during the process of transplanting. This is the system in uni- 

 versal application in Europe and America, and it is there found to be 

 admirably adapted to the rearing of all kinds of plants, both evergreens 

 and deciduous. Here, however, the system cannot have such general 

 application as in more cold countries, owing to the quiescent stage of 

 the growth of trees in this climate being uncertain in its duration and 

 season, and also from the intensely drying natm-e of the air, to which 

 it is at times dangerous to expose the tender roots of trees. Owing to 

 the comparative mildness of the climate here all the year round, our 

 evergreen trees, both indigenous and exotic kinds, do not seem to have 

 any clearly defined period for ripening their young wood, and as 

 these kinds of trees, if grown under the system of " open root," must 

 only be lifted when their growth is quiescent, the difficulty of applying it 

 to trees of this class is at once apparent. Of course it can be done, and 

 that successfully, as has been shown upon the Forest Reserves; but 

 without some good practical knowledge of plant physiology applied to 

 the system, it is imsafe to extend it to planting generally in this country. 

 The great point in transplanting evergreens which have been reared 

 in this way, is to watch for the dormant season of their growth, and 

 to plant them out in dull damp weather only, with their roots well 

 puddled in earth and water. By attention to these matters of detail, good 

 results can always be obtained by the system here. 



