94 TWELFTH ANNUAL REPORT OF THE 



in the newly-made beds. Another unfavorable feature was the large pro- 

 portion of Norway spruce left by the college management, the use of which 

 we prefer to discontinue. 



We intend, however, to operate the Axton nursery as a temporary 

 arrangement only, and abandon it as soon as the stock now there is large 

 enough to go to the field plantations. But the one at Wawbeek should be 

 maintained as a permanent nursery, and as soon as the Norway spruce 

 now there has been used it should be devoted to the propagation of white, 

 Norway and Scotch pine; also larch, to a small extent. 



This nursery is well located, on the highway running from the Wawbeek 

 Hotel, on Upper Saranac lake, to Tupper Lake railroad station. It is situ- 

 ated in a high forest, contains something over two acres, and is surrounded 

 by a good wire fence. The soil is composed of the original forest humus 

 underlaid by a rich, black earth, and owing to the shelter of the adjoining 

 forest and moist conditions will not require any irrigation plant. At present 

 the soil is so heavy and stiff that it is not worked easily, and weeding by 

 hand is somewhat difficult. A liberal application of hardwood ashes or sand 

 may be necessary to reduce the earth in the beds to a desirable condition. 



In 1906, at the suggestion of the United States Forest service, at 

 Washington, D. C, an arrangement was made for the establishment and 

 maintenance of a co-operative nursery, one-half the expense to be borne 

 by that Department. A site of two acres was accordingly selected on the 

 small plateau at the top of the hill just east of the Saranac State Hatchery. 

 The woods were cleared, the ground ploughed, and the area was planted 

 with peas, preliminary to making the beds. One acre was then enclosed 

 with a neat substantial wire fence to keep out the deer which had already 

 done some damage to the seed beds. Transplant beds will be made next 

 spring and filled with two-year old seedlings from the Saranac Inn Nursery, 

 where we happen to have a large surplus in the seed beds. 



This co-operative nursery will be maintained largely for experimental 

 work in the propagation of various untried species, a class of work which we 

 cannot well undertake in our other nurseries, as their capacity is insuf- 

 ficient to furnish the kinds of stock needed for our reforesting operations* 

 A part of this enclosure will be set apart for raising hardwood or broad- 

 leaved trees, and an attempt will be made to introduce on the Adirondack 



