11 



Transplanting. 



Age of Plants. — Most plants after they have remained in the seed 

 beds for one season, may be set out where they are to stand finally, 

 especially broad-leaved ones. The spruces and firs grow very slowly 

 during the first four or five years and may best be left two years in 

 the seed bed, then transplanted to other nursery beds and allowed to 

 remain there two or three years. Small and weak seedlings of other 

 species should be treated in the same way. Frequent transplanting 

 is recommended for all species, when especially large and strong 

 plants are needed. In all cases before setting out finally, whether 

 on good or poor land, the object should be to grow and to use only 

 the strongest and best plants. They will be able to resist enemies 

 and hardships and to recover from injuries much better than weak 

 ones. 



Time. — Transplanting can be done either in fall or in spring. If 

 done in fall, it should be after the growth has ripened or ceased. 

 During winter the dirt will have a chance to settle about the roots*, 

 and by spring the loss of root fibre will be partly made up. On the 

 other hand, frost may lift the plants out of the ground or storms may 

 loosen them. Then, too, they will be exposed to damage from 

 animals at a time when food is scarce. In spring the work should be 

 done as early as possible, at least before the new growth begins. 

 Spring is preferable for conifers. 



Distance. — The distance at which plants should be placed finally 

 depends upon the species, the age and the object in view. If fire- 

 wood is the only object then perhaps more wood will be formed per 

 tree by giving as much room and light as possible to the tops. Even 

 in this case it is a question whether close planting is not better finan- 

 cially, if small wood can be used or sold at all. Where it is the pur- 

 pose to get the soil covered quickly, to raise straight stems clean 

 from branches, either for poles or posts, or later for timber, close 

 planting must be done. For plantations of considerable size, to 

 plant at regular distances and to do it in a sysitematic way is at all 

 times cheapest. Cultivation may be done more quickly and easily. 

 Blanks may be easily found and filled, and later management is 

 facilitated. Of course mere filling of gaps in existing forests can 

 be done only in a very irregular method. 



Roots. — There are numerous methods of planting, but, in all, the 

 most important thing is to take care of the roots. Perhaps more 

 failures could be traced to lack of care of them than to any other 

 cause. They are very sensitive to sun and wind and should never 

 be exposed long enough to become dried out. When the plants are 

 removed from the nursery they should be taken from the beds as care- 



