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Weyerhaeuser Tree Seedling Harvester Systems

Weyerhaeuser Company has several large nurseries in Northwest and Southern United States. Increasing labor costs at these nurseries has forced the development of automated harvesting systems. This development work has been proceeding at the Longview, Washington, Technical Center, for over 2 years. For partial results of this work, see figures 1, 2, 3, and 4. Machines for 2-year-old seedlings planted on 6-inch centers and for transplanted 3-year-old seedlings planted on 10-inch centers have been designed and built. These harvesting machines operate by fluidizing the soil around the seedlings by vibration, then lifting the seedlings from the ground with soft belts. Lifted seedlings are then transferred to a variety of transporting systems. Although minimum labor is required, careful design of these systems has allowed the use of standard packing shed facilities.


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Author(s): E. W. Arnold

Publication: Tree Planters' Notes - Volume 21, Number 3 (1970)

Volume: 21

Number: 3