FOREST NURSERIES FOR SCHOOLS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1776, 14 June 1913, Page 26

FOREST NURSERIES FOR SCHOOLS.

THE VALUE OF TREES. AN INTERESTING SUGGESTION. In recent years thoro has been a decided movement toward the introduction of nature study eieineutary.agriculturo into tho regular work of tho btate schools. One of the uiost popular features of this movement lias been the school garden. Hitherto most school gardens have been devoted exclusively to the growmg of common vegetables and ilowering plants, with here and there the introduction of new specios us an additional inceutivo to interest. Messrs. W. M. Mooro and B. It, Jackson, of tho United States i'orcst Service, recently suggested in a little paniphlot that a school nursery for the propagation of forest trees would oiler an interesting variation from tho usual typo of gardening. The crop of the forest nursery is one which docs not disappear with the close of tho season, but instead tho young trees need only to bo transferred troin tho nursery bed to some new location or lawns or school grounds to become permanent evidence of the work done, and a lasting tribute to the school, furthermore, this work of' transplanting tho trees is best dono early in tho spring, when the 6chool is in session, and at its best, so far as tho interest of. tho pupils is concerned. In this way tho forest nursery is oven moro adaptable to Khool use than is tho ordinary garden. A nursery, properly run, says the writers, will not require any more labour and attention than, a garden, if as inuch, with the possible eicoption that there is tho added neocssity ot collecting and storing the treo seeds through tho,winter. However, if this is found impracticable, tho treo seeds may be purchased, just as vegetable ■seeds are, from dealers. The actual work of caring for tho nursery is practically (he samo as that required for tho care of the garden. Tho ground for the seed beds is prepared in the same manner, and the seedlings require about tho samo amount of attention that tho vegetables do. On tho other hand, tho results will be much more enduring and valuable. Besides the opportunities afforded by the nursery for study and instruction, the trees, which are successfully grown, will, if wisely utilised, bo a source of comfort, beauty, and even profit to the school or community for years.

It should bo tho endeavour of each, school to raise but a few trees per pupil, but to grow these successfully, and to transplant all of them with the smallest possible loss to permanent sites on the school grounds or about the homos n the community for shelter, timber, or ornamental purposes. 'This aim must be' impressed upon tho pupils if the lesson of the valuo of forest trees is to be taught. If only one tree per pupil is grown, but every one safely transplanted to a permanent site), where it may grow into usefulness and beauty, the work cf tho nursery will be infinitely more satisfactory than if hundreds of seedlings are produced and many of them allowed to perish. The final.disposal of the trees grown in tho school nursery is a mattor of much importance. Naturally tho first location

which suggests itself as a suitable planting sito is tho school ground itself. Almost without exception, 6chool sites can bo improved by judicious planting. It jis probable that if the trees grow well l in tho nursery, and are of a desirable epecies, tliero will bo a demand for them on tho part of tho children or their parents for planting about their homes. In some localities it will also bo possible for the school to perform a sorvico to tho community, and put into practice ono of tho most important lessons of forestry by using the nursery trees to reforest somo tract of land.from which the trees have been cut.