ARBORICULTURE. 333 



When sown, these seeds require different degrees of covering in 

 the soil. The larger seeds, as those of the chesnut, oak, etc., 

 should be covered with two inches of mould ; for the smaller 

 seeds of the plane, sycamore, hornbeam, maple and ash, it will 

 be proper to mix with them sand, in quantity about equal to their 

 bulk, jolacing the mixture on the ground a foot in thickness, and 

 covering that with an inch thick of mould. The birch may- be 

 sown immediately as it is taken from the tree, or preserved in 

 the seed loft until spring. When sowti, the birch is generally 

 covered half an inch with mould, the former seeds with one inch. 

 2d. Hard seeds, or stones covered with a puljjy fruit. The 

 proper covering of these seeds is so hard, as to have acquired 

 for them the name of stones. In this class are the persimon, 

 June berry, tupelo, cherry, mountain ash, holly, pear, crab and 

 thorn. To obviate the irregular vegetation of these seeds, which 

 is attended with loss of time and inconvenience, the practice of 

 preparing them for sowing by what is called pitting has been 

 adopted ; but as one, two, or even three years in the pit or 

 preparatory bed are wanted for some of these seeds, it is requisite 

 after they have lain a certain time in the pit to uncover them and 

 turn them over, so as to assist in the separation of the pulp from 

 the stones. 



3d. Leguminous, or bean seeds. These, as regards forest 

 trees are confined to the common acacia, or locust tree, (Robinia 

 pseud acacia), and the glutinous robinia (Robinia viscosa). 

 These seeds vegetate freely when sown from the tree, but it is 

 the general practice to preserve them until spring in a dry, cool 

 place. When sown, they require to be covered with about three 

 fourths of an inch of mould. If sown too thickly, that is, less 

 than one inch seed from seed, the plants soon injure one another 

 and become diseased. 



4th. Light seeds. Under this head we enumerate the poplar 

 and the tree willows. These seeds being light, and separating 

 freely from the tree when ripe, require care in collecting, as other- 

 wise they are liable to be dispersed and carried away by the wind. 

 They vegetate quickly and may be sown as soon as they are ripe. 

 Spring, however, is preferred, as tender seedling plants are subject 



