NURSERY PRACTICE FOR PRAIRIE-PLAINS PLANTING 



119 



the more successful in that, if properly done, it affords less chance of 

 molding or drying loss. 



Inside Storage 



Inside storage is of chief advantage to commercial nurseries which 

 use the winter months for grading and assembling orders, since it 

 affords ready access to the stock at any time during the storage 

 season. Its greatest disadvantage is the large outlay required to con- 

 struct and operate a suitable building. The essentials of a nursery- 

 stock storage building are adequate rack and working space and 



Figure 46. — Winter storage of seedlings, Fremont, Nebr. 



proper insulation and construction for the control of temperature, 

 humidity, and aeration (fig. 46). Laurie and Chadwick {20) 

 describe in detail the construction of storage buildings. 



Temperatures in the storage building should be near freezing to 

 hold the seedlings dormant for many months. A temperature range 

 from 34° to 38° F. is most satisfactory, and even 30° may be permitted 

 if the stock is well covered with packing material. In addition to 

 holding the stock dormant, low temperatures reduce the rate of 

 respiration and keep fungi inactive. In a well-insulated building 

 desired temperatures are readily maintained by correct ventilation 

 technique. During spring and fall months the temperature in the 

 storage sheds may be reduced by opening ventilators at night, or 

 whenever outside temperatures are below those inside, and closing 

 them when the opposite condition exists. In milder winter days 



