334 SYLVA AMERTCANA. 



to injury from severe weather in winter. They should be 

 covered to the depth of one fourth of an inch of fine, sifted 

 mould. 



5th. Resinous seeds are those of coniferous or fir trees. Their 

 vegetative power when cleaned or separated from the cones, is 

 not to be preserved if they are kept out of the ground for any 

 considerable length of time, and they require particular care in 

 sowing. The soil of the beds ought to be of a light sandy 

 nature, enriched with the vegetable mould of decayed tree leaves, 

 or well-decomposed dung. If a proper quantity of the former 

 manure be added, and well incorporated with the sandy loam 

 above described, it will bring that soil to a suitable texture. 

 The seeds are borne in cones furnished with scales of a hard 

 woody consistence. The cones of the larch with much difficulty 

 part from the seeds, and various means have been adopted to 

 effect that object. The best is that of first opening the cone, or 

 dividing it lengthways into two or four parts, then placing them 

 on a kiln and drying by a very gentle heat until the valves begin 

 to open, when they should be taken to a proper floor and 

 threshed : the seeds may then be separated by a sieve. The 

 cones of the spruces require also the aid of the kiln ; but the 

 seeds part from the cones easily, and the splitting of the cones 

 is superfluous. The spring is the best season for sowing these 

 seeds. The soil of the seedling beds should be in as finely a 

 pulverized state as possible for their reception. 



Of Sowing the Seeds. 



The trees belonging to the following genera are the most 

 suitable for cultivation by seeds. 



Abies. All the trees of this genus affect moist, siliceous, sandy 

 soils, but they will flourish on rocky, and comparatively barren 

 soils, for which they are peculiarly adapted. The seeds should 

 not be taken out of the cones till the time of sowing arrives, 

 which is in March or April. 



