Name: 
 

1991 National Nursery Landscape Exam



Multiple Choice
Identify the letter of the choice that best completes the statement or answers the question.
 

1. 

Which of the following groups contains only deciduous plants?
a.
forsythia, lilac, camellia
c.
arborvitae, camellia, japanese yew
b.
rhododendron, Japanese maple, Chinese holly
d.
crabapple, flowering cherry, sycamore
 

2. 

The four life cycle stages of beetles such as the Japanese beetle are...
a.
egg, grub, pupae, adult.
c.
grub, pupae, juvenile, adult
b.
moth, egg, grub, adult
d.
egg, nymph, pupae, adult
 

3. 

The three major divisions of a soil profile as indicated by 1, 2 and 3 in Figure 1 are ___, ___ and ___.
index_files/i0040000.jpg
a.
1 - topsoil
2 - subsoil
3 - parent material
c.
1 - mulch
2 - topsoil
3 - subsoil
b.
1 - topsoil
2 - parent material
3 - clay layer
d.
1 - humus & topsoil
2 - clay
3 - rock base
 

4. 

When is the best time to prune roses?
a.
in the late winter when the bush is still dormant but getting ready to bud
c.
in late summer or early fall
b.
in mid-winter
d.
in the fall just before they go dormant
 

5. 

The insect shown is a...
index_files/i0060000.jpg
a.
white fly
c.
fungus gnat
b.
mosquito
d.
leaf miner
 

6. 

Figure 2 illustrates the complete ______ of this insect.
index_files/i0070000.jpg
a.
life cycle
c.
juvenile stage
b.
control cycle
d.
damage cycle
 

7. 

Which choice below correctly identifies the stages of development of the insect.

index_files/i0080000.jpg
a.
1 - adult
2 - egg (& feeding damage)
3 - pupa
4 - maggot
c.
1 - juvenile
2 - egg (& feeding damage)
3 - pupa
4 - adult
b.
1 - adult
2 - egg (& feeding damage)
3 - larvae
4 - pupa
d.
1 - adult
2 - egg (& feeding damage)
3 - pupa
4 - larvae
 

8. 

An example of a herbaceous perennial is...
a.
daylily
c.
sweetgum
b.
boxwood
d.
shore juniper
 

9. 

A grower needs 1500 rooted cuttings.  To allow for a 5% loss rate, the grower should order ______ cuttings
a.
1575
c.
1600
b.
1500
d.
1550
 

10. 

Examples of cool season grasses include perennial ryegrass, bentgrass and...
a.
bermudagrass
c.
zoysia
b.
fescue
d.
all the above
 

11. 

Three plants that require a partial shade location are pachysandra, azalea and...
a.
camellia
c.
mugo pine
b.
scots pine
d.
Eastern white pine
 

12. 

Which one of the following hardiness zones is colder than Zone 6?
a.
Zone A
c.
Zone 5
b.
Zone 6-Y
d.
Zone 7
 

13. 

Glyphosate or "Roundup" is a non-selective herbicide which means it will kill...
a.
perennial weeds
c.
annual weeds
b.
any green plant that it contacts
d.
both annual and perennial weeds
 

14. 

When selecting ginkgo trees for the home landscape, you should choose...
a.
male and female trees
c.
female trees only
b.
male trees only
d.
mature female trees only
 

15. 

Using the ad as seen in Figure 3,  how much would 1500 meserve holly liners cost from Red Land Nursery?
index_files/i0160000.jpg
a.
$900
c.
$705
b.
$825
d.
$630
 

16. 

Andy has a ready market for 2300 blue rug junipers, but he could easily sell 300 more.  How many liners should Andy order, based on the prices in Figure 3?
a.
order 2300 liners; never purchase more than you need
c.
order 2600 liners; the extra 300 will cost only $1 above the cost of 2300 liners
b.
order 2300 liners; the extra 300 liners will cost too much
d.
order 2600 liners; because of the price break, 2600 liners cost less than 2300
 

17. 

Given the following choices, which would be the best soil mix for potted plant production?
a.
1 loam : 1 sand : 1 perlite
c.
1 sand : 1 silt : 1 vermiculite
b.
1 peat : 1 sand : 1 perlite
d.
1 vermiculite : 1 sand : 1 perlite
 

18. 

There are five common methods of night lighting for landscapes.  They are...
a.
bright, dim, subdued, marginal and transparent lighting
c.
moderate, bright, dim, regular and flash lighting
b.
walk, silhouette, shadow, up, and down lighting
d.
cross, down, up, reverse, and slope lighting
 

19. 

Which is a signal word for pesticide labels that indicates the lowest level of toxicity?
a.
danger
c.
careful
b.
warning
d.
caution
 

20. 

Which of the following is a major purpose of using mulch around plants?
a.
increases anti-aerobic activity
c.
supplies nutrients
b.
moderates soil temperature
d.
attracts earth worms
 

21. 

A common problem of ______ is called epinasty.  The leaves curl downward and appear to droop.  Epinasty is observed when this plant is planted in full sun.  This plant prefers a shady to semi-sun location.
a.
Ilex
c.
bermudagrass
b.
mugo pine
d.
dogwood
 

22. 

Choose the answer that correctly ranks the plants listed below from coarsest texture (indicated by a 1) to finest texture (indicated by a 3).
a.
1 - bayberry
2 - Oregon grape
3 - Cotoneaster divaricatus
c.
1 - Cotoneaster divaricatus
2 - Oregon grape
3 - bayberry
b.
1 - Oregon grape
2 - bayberry
3 - Cotoneaster divaricatus
d.
1 - bayberry
2 - Cotoneaster divaricatus
3 - Oregon grape
 

23. 

The safety features on the mower indicated in Figure 4 are...
index_files/i0240000.jpg
a.
1 - speed control
2 - tongue cover
3 - exhaust chute cover
c.
1 - speed control
2 - grass dump
3 - exhaust chute cover
b.
1 - emergency stop lever
2 - rear guard
3 - exhaust chute cover
d.
1 - speed control
2 - grass dump
3 - muffler
 

24. 

A commonly used method of controlling soil erosion at a construction site is to...
a.
cover the entire area with hardwood mulch
c.
surround the area with a fluorescent safety fence
b.
erect a silt fence around the area
d.
cover the ground with black polyethylene
 

25. 

Which of the following terms is NOT matched to the correct definition?
a.
Vermiculite   -      Expanded volcanic rock used in artificial soil mixes
c.
Tuberous Root  -      A thickened root without nodes and internodes
b.
Deciduous   -      Woody plants whose leaves drop in the fall and remain leafless in winter
d.
Whip     -      A young seedling or rooted cutting of a woody plant, generally without side branches
 

26. 

Which choice below correctly identifies parts 1,2,3 and 4 of Figure 5?
index_files/i0270000.jpg
a.
1 - flower bud             2 - leaf scar
3 - lateral bud            4 - lenticel
c.
1 - lateral bud            2 - stamen
3 - flower bud            4 - lenticel
b.
1 - terminal bud            2 - leaf scar
3 - lateral bud            4 - pollen sac
d.
1 - terminal bud            2 - leaf scar
3 - lateral bud            4 - lenticel
 

27. 

The road in front of Alan's house has become traffic congested in recent years.  The view, and especially the noise, bothers the family.  When Alan asked a landscaper about this, the landscaper mentioned berms.  What was the landscaper talking about?
a.
a special type wall to block the noise and view of traffic on the road
c.
trees planted in multiple rows between the house and road
b.
his recent fishing trip where he caught several berms
d.
tall mounds of soil placed between the house and road to block the noise and view
 

28. 

A plant which dies to the ground at the end of each growing season but comes back from the same root-stock year after year is most accurately described as a(n)...
a.
perennial
c.
biennial
b.
annual
d.
herbaceous perennial
 

29. 

Training plants into three-dimensional ornamental forms, such as animals, is called...
a.
topiary
c.
heading back
b.
espalier
d.
Bonsai
 

30. 

Wisteria, wintercreeper and Hall's honeysuckle are examples of...
a.
trees
c.
shrubs
b.
vines
d.
groundcovers
 

31. 

An x in the botanical name of a plant means the plant...
a.
is a hybrid
c.
comes true to type from seed
b.
comes true to type from seed or vegetative propagation
d.
has been grafted
 

32. 

In the nursery industry, the letters AAN stand for...
a.
Arborists of America, Nationwide
c.
American Association of Nurserymen
b.
All-American Nurseryperson
d.
All-American Nurserymen
 

33. 

Plants that use less water and are tolerant of dry landscape sites are called...
a.
Epiphytes
c.
Monoecious
b.
Xerophytes
d.
Dryophytes
 

34. 

Aphids can be controlled with many insecticides including...
a.
Poast, Roundup, Treflan and 2-4D
c.
Diazinon, Malathion and Orthene
b.
B-Nine, Bonzi, Cycocel and Floralife
d.
Benlate, Captan, Banrot and Daconil
 

35. 

Leaves mottled with shades of color from deep green to yellow-green, where the leaf and plant seem to be healthy otherwise, is an indication of...
a.
botrytis blight
c.
Japanese beetle feeding
b.
virus infection
d.
low iron content of the leaf
 

36. 

If trees are spaced 6 feet by 12 feet apart, _____ can be planted in a one acre field
a.
605
c.
1435
b.
1056
d.
1365
 

37. 

The tool being used on the spark plug, as pictured in Figure 6, is called a ___, and it is being used to ___ the plug.
index_files/i0380000.jpg
a.
feeler wheel, clean
c.
probe, clean
b.
wire gage, gap
d.
scraper, clean
 

38. 

Plants usually do not grow well in poorly drained soils because...
a.
there is not enough air in the soil
c.
the soil warms too quickly in spring
b.
the organic matter content is too high
d.
the roots become engorged with water
 

39. 

Always water potted plants so that some water comes out the bottom of the pot.  This is a common practice to help reduce the danger of _______ buildup.
a.
pathogen
c.
pesticide
b.
soluble salts
d.
herbicide
 

40. 

Figure 7 indicates a planting that leads one's attention to the front door.  Which landscape principle does this illustrate?
index_files/i0410000.jpg
a.
Contrast
c.
Focalization
b.
Scale
d.
Unity
 

41. 

A "spreader-sticker" added to a spray solution causes the chemical to...
a.
become more diluted in the sprayer
c.
stick to the diseased areas of the plant and run-off the areas it is not needed
b.
better cover the surface and to resist being washed off by rain and irrigation
d.
penetrate the cuticle of the leaf, which allows better sticking power
 

42. 

Frank was about to drive the tractor down the street to another landscape job when Andy said, "Hey, you had better put that orange triangle on the back of that tractor before you get run-over."  He was talking about a(n)...
a.
farm vehicle sign
c.
emergency vehicle sign
b.
slow-moving vehicle sign
d.
wide-load sign
 

43. 

A major advantage of nursery stock produced in containers is they...
a.
are less expensive to grow and less expensive to buy
c.
require less care than field-grown crops
b.
can be transplanted anytime during the growing season
d.
require less labor to grow
 

44. 

A transplanted tree or shrub should be set into the ground...
a.
50 percent deeper than it was originally planted
c.
with the top of the container slightly covered
b.
so that the top roots are exposed to the air
d.
at the same depth at which it was originally growing
 

45. 

The LD-50 rating of four compounds are listed below.  Which is most toxic to man?
a.
Aspirin - 1750
c.
Orthene - 945
b.
Kelthane - 809
d.
Benlate - 10,000
 

46. 

The three soil particle classifications based on size are sand, silt and...
a.
clay
c.
shale
b.
loam
d.
gravel
 

47. 

A school principal wants some plants for the school courtyard for flower color effect in the spring so that students and faculty can enjoy it before school lets out for the summer.  You should NOT sell him/her a(n)...
a.
azalea
c.
crabapple
b.
quince
d.
Chinese holly
 

48. 

Current recommendations on clipping removal relative to thatch build up in turf is...
a.
clippings should always be removed to reduce thatch build up
c.
clippings should always be left on the lawn because their decomposition helps reduce thatch
b.
clippings need not be removed as they do not contribute significantly to thatch build up if the lawn is mowed at proper intervals
d.
clippings should always be removed.  Not only do clippings add to thatch but they slow decomposition of dead roots, stems and leaves
 

49. 

A type of pesticide that has received new emphasis in recent years is ________.  The newer types of this material, in many cases, can be sprayed on actively growing plants as well as plants that are dormant.
a.
horticultural oil
c.
pyrethrum
b.
organo-phosphate
d.
inorgano-phosphate
 

50. 

If a 2-cycle engine on a weed trimmer uses a 24:1 fuel ratio, you should mix...
a.
24 parts gas to 1 part oil
c.
equal amounts of gas and oil
b.
24 parts oil to 1 part gas
d.
24 parts gas to 1 part engine cleaner
 



 
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