NURSERY PEACT1CE ON THE NATIONAL FORESTS. 47 
heeling in of Douglas fir seedlings for spring transplanting at the 
Boulder Nursery and of western white pine at the Sa venae Nursery 
proved very unsatisfactory. At the Boulder Nursery the stock ap- 
peared fresh and green in the spring, although of a darker color than 
in the fall. Only a few of the trees had died ; but the needles pulled 
off very easily, indicating a loss of vitality. After transplanting 
about 35 per cent of the stock died. That which lived started growth 
very slowly and at the end of the season had developed in size only 
about one-half as much as seedlings left in the beds over winter 
(PL XVII). An examination of the roots at the end of the growing 
season revealed the fact that all old laterals had rotted away and 
that all of those present were newly formed. 
Another method is to cover the seedlings while they are in the seed 
beds with some such material as straw, hay, or shade frames. If straw 
or hay is used, the seedlings should be examined frequently to 
detect any heating. At the Fort Valley Experiment Station shade 
frames are put over the beds after they become snow covered. In 
the spring these retard for a short time the melting of the snow 
and the development of the seedlings. 
It is possible that an effective method would be cold storage at 
a temperature just above the freezing point. In Norway, cold- 
storage houses have been used very successfully for holding plants 
over in the spring. In the nursery at Softland, on the west coast 
of Norway, it is stated that Norway spruce can safely be kept in cold 
storage for 2 months and Scotch pine for 1 month. The plants 
must not be put into the ice house when wet, however, on account 
of the danger of molding. No covering whatever is placed over the 
roots of plants stored in this way. The best plants are secured by 
having the cellar below the level of the ground. J. Hein's Sons, 
of Halstenbek, Germany, have their cold-storage house so far below 
the surface that it is unnecessary to use any ice whatever. 
It is much better if none of these methods are necessary. 
Handling of the plants and exposure of the roots should be avoided 
as much as possible, for extra handling will manifest itself in 
greater losses in the transplant beds and will increase costs. In 
fact, at the Wind River Nursery it is considered better not to 
remove the seedlings from the beds even if they can not be trans- 
planted until 10 days or two weeks after growth has started. The 
best results are obtained when the seedlings are transplanted directly 
from the seed beds. 
PREPARATION OF TRANSPLANT BEDS. 
Transplant beds should be given practically the same thorough 
preparation as seed beds, except that hand spading is unnecessary. 
The area should be plowed as deeply as possible, because this 
