64 



PKACTICAL FORESTRr. 



EYERGREE^TS EROM THE EORESTS. 



Vast numbers of evergreens are annually transplanted 

 from the natural seed beds that abound in many parts of 

 the country where and when the various species of conifers 

 are growing wald. The source of supply is simply inex- 

 haustible, limited only by the number of desirable species 

 to be obtained. Until recently, gathering natural seed- 

 lings of conifers was confined to some of the most common 

 species of the Eastern States, such as hemlocks, arbor- 

 vitaes, spruces, balsam firs, and pines, but within the 

 past few years, the facilities for obtaining rarer kinds has 

 been greatly extended, and the coniferae of the Eocky 

 Mountain region and the Pacific Coast can now be ob- 

 tained very cheaply, and collectors possessing the requi- 

 site botanical knowledge are employed to collect seedlings 

 of one, two, or more years old, and these are sent to dif- 

 ferent points, or wherever there is a demand for them, by 

 mail or otherwise. When properly handled, these forest 

 seedlings will usually grow and make good specimens. 

 To insure success, the seedlings should be pulled when 

 the ground is wet, that as many of their roots as possible 

 may be retained, and these in no case should be exposed 

 to the sun or wind long enough to cause shrivelling. If 

 packed in soft moss {Spliagniiin) from low ground, they 

 can be safely transported in cool weather to any distance 

 not requiring more than six or eight weeks in their 

 transit. When such plants arrive at their destination, 

 they should be unpacked and placed in a position where 

 new growth of roots can be secured without exciting or 

 forcing a new growth of the buds or branches. This is 

 readily done, because roots will grow at a much lower tem- 

 perature than buds, consequently it is only necessary to 

 heel-in the seedlings, cr pot them separately if of rare 

 kinds and Avorth the trouble, and place them in a half 

 shady place, watering freely overhead until the roots 



