The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1885-06-06
HOME NURSERIES,
The Advantages of q Wen Stocked Nur-
sery,

The numerous advantages of q well
stocked home nursery, especially where
planting is extensively carried on are so
wen known and are appreciated by
every proprietor of large estates, that
comment on this subject seems. almost
unnecessary; however, q few remarks
on the subject may not be out of r,.ac
l do not propose to aiiiiate on the details
OF nursery management, my object be-
ing more to dwell on the advantages ei
home nursery for the rearing Of plants
for special purposes, such as the plant.
ing OF barren, exposed districts, as we'll
as the convenience 81 having at hand a
stock If plants suitable for all emergen-
cies, and whose hardness can to a great
extent be relied upon.
Where ornamental planting. eame
coverts, or hedging i performed on an
extensive scalo, the convenience of s
homie hursery can not be overvalued,
the plants being always at hand and o.
the size and In, the gnantity required,
thus obvisting the necessity of sending
10 Z distance for these when wanted.
The advantages in these cases are
too well known to requira com
ment, and plants, more especially those
Of a large SIR, seht from distance can
not, After packing and transmission by
road and rail, be expected to succeed
equal to those raised and planted on the
same day. The extra soil or ball with
which large plants can be removed foi
a short distance is also much in thei,
favor, but which Is next to impossible
where packing and transit have To. BIZ
resorted to- IT Is well known that toe
sudden a change from rich, weil-shel
tered nursery borders to bare exposed
hillsdcs often proves fatal to yoGne
plants and when VIC consider that few
public Nurseries are at a greater eleva.
ton than three hundred feet, the reces
sity of proprietors rearing their own
stock whose plantations are perhaps
upwards of one thousand feet above sea
level will the more readily bn Sem.
There are certainly difficulties to con
tend with IN planting high-lying ground,
more especially if the soil is poor and
the situation exposed, and in these cases
the advantages of using hardy plants
that have frequently been transplantet
in well-chosen homie nursery are only
too perceptible, especially when con-
trasted with others that have been
grown under more favorable circum.
stances and in a sheltered position.
Some plants seem better adapted thar
others for this removal, but in the ma
jority Of aasas tie shock sustained BY
transferring from low-iying ground tc
that of great elevation is only too APP.
parent, and from which the plants
seldom recover. A good deal of com.
ment has taken place as to the necessi.
ty of rearing trees from seed sown on
the site of the future plantation; and
although the suggestion has many
points in its favor, still, artificial plant
ing is better adapted TO the wants OF
Our country and not at all likely to be
superseded by artificial reproduction,
which is more fitted for countries differ.
emily situated from our own. The nur-
sery treatment of plants is, therefore,
sure to remnin prominent feature OF
British forestry, and as such the soil and
situation, as well as most successful
treatment of these, so as to produce
plants suitable for the positions they are
intended to occupy, will require due
consideration, and very much according
10 the situation of the estate and ground
TO be planted.
In choosing The site of home nursery
q good deal will depend on the genera
elevation and exposure of the estate
The situation should be neither toe
much exposed nor yet sheltered, but
partaking to certain extent of both,
and with southern or western exposure
for although too sudden change from
sheltered to exposed ground often
proves fatal to young trees, this should
not altogether form criterion for rear.
ing such in situations unfavorable to
the development OF strong, healthy
plants, The soil should be good friable
loan On an open, POROUS subsoil; but
the quality of ground required for differ.
ent seedlings is so diversified that it is
next to impossible to suit all within the
small bounds required for a home nur.
sury, As water is Indispensable where
seedlings are raised. as well as for nu.
merous other purposes in the nursery,
it is well to have provision made for q
continuous supply, either by stream
running through ttasnursery ground oil
in close cantiguity to it. From six to
ten acres will be found sufficient
nursery ground for most estates, but il
is advisable to, add little more than il
really required, so that the breaks may
not all be under forest trees at the same
time, but undergo, when found neces-
sary, course of green crops, which
will not only enrich, but clean the
ground and leave it in good condition fol
replanting with Seeding forest plants
bearing in mind that farmyard manure
should always be applied first to The
green crop, and never directly to the
plants themselves. Land intended fol
nursery ground should be thoroughly
tfenched to the full depth of the soil
and, where necessary, heavily manured
or enriched by the addition OF lime,
vegetable soil, or loan, as the case may
require. In laying out the ground into
breaks it will be found convenient to
have these either square or rectangular
in shape, and, if possible, parallel to
each other The breaks may be divided
by different kinds of hedges, which,
when well kept, give not only neat
and tidy appearance to the nursery
but are highly beneficial in the way OF
shelter. The site chosen for the seed
beds should be naturally sheltered, or,
failing this, such artificial shelter as is
found necessary should bo 'v'ded, a.
exposure of the young pl cold
cutting winds causes them to become
stunted and bark-bound. Young trees
like other plants, rarely thrive well in
bleak situation.
In the management of nursery the
amount of care and attention required
is certainly great, but any trouble as
well as expense connected with starting
and keeping it in good condition after
ward will be amply repaid by the in
creased value and superiority of the
stock obtained; and as the. subject Of
extended planting is one well worthy
the consideration of proprietOrs owning
exposed or otherwise worthless tracts
of land, a step in the right direction
will be the establishing and maintaining
in good order well stocked home
nursery. The Garden.