74 TREE CULTURE IN SOUTH AUSTRALIA, 



The principal features in favor of open-root rearing of plants, where it 

 can be safely done, is that stronger, better-rooted, and mnch more 

 healthy plants can be reared by it than by any other system. Frequent 

 transplanting in the nursery lines induces the formation of a mass of 

 fibrous roots, which will materially assist the plant in establishing itself 

 on its new site in the plantation. 



Owing, however, to the difiicidties attendmg it which I have just 

 pointed out, I do not recommend its adoption by oux farmers to the 

 evergreen class of plants. 



To all deciduous trees, however, the system should be universally 

 applied. The seedlings may be grown thickly in boxes, or in open beds, 

 according to the degree of hardiness of the tree, and transplanted out in 

 the niirsery during the rainy season — say in July or August. The 

 plants should be put in at from Sin. to Sin. apart in the rows, according 

 to their character and likelihood or otherwise to make good growths 

 during the year. The rows should be from lOin. to 18in. apart, being 

 lessened or increased in accordance with the same rule. Room must 

 always be given to the trees to make good strong stems, well covered 

 with leaves and branchlets, and also to allow the soil about them being 

 regularly hoed and all weeds kept under. Frequent hoeing during the 

 summer time will encourage their growth and prevent unhealthiness 

 arising from their closeness to one another. 



In " lining out" or planting the young trees in this way, the operation 

 should be conducted as follows : — The soil dug up and levelled, gently 

 beat it down with the spade, and then stretch a garden line across the 

 whole length of the block intended to be fiUed with the trees ; this done, 

 then make a cutting in the earth, along the said line, to the depth 

 required by the length of the roots of the seedlings. This cutting should 

 be nearly perpendicular, and as regular as possible. Remove the plants 

 carefully from the seed-bed, and " puddle" their roots at once; then lay 

 them along the cut line, putting each one in separately and covering up 

 the roots by the hand -with as much soil as will keep the plants in position 

 and prevent the roots from drying. The line aU finished, dig the soil over 

 the roots of the trees ; tramp firmly with the feet, then make up the space 

 until it is a little broader than the required distance between the rows of 

 plants ; level and press with the spade, and cut edge as formerly ; pro- 

 ceed with laying in the plants, and so on from row to row, until the 

 required number of plants are put in, aU as represented in Fig. 59. 



Cuttings of trees should be lined out in much the same manner as 

 described above. They shovild be cut fi-om good strong young wood, 

 of one or two years' growth, from 9in. to 12.in in length, somewhat 

 rounded at bottom and the top cut sharply upward, at an acute angle 

 immediately above the bud in the wood (Fig. 60), and planted in the 

 ground with the soil well-up to the bud, as shown in Figs. 60 and 61. 

 In Fig. 62 I show the young ti-ee beginning to form upon the cutting. 

 When trees reared from cuttings are planted out into the plantations, 

 they shpuld be inserted in the gi-ound in such a way that the whole of 

 the cutting, a,nd about an inch of the shoot, is buried in the soil — see 

 Fig. 63. This is necessary for the proper support of the shoot. 



