THE BEGINNING OF A FOREST CROP. 



49 



HOAA^ THE CROP BEGINS. 



Let us imagine an abuudaut crop of tree seeds lyiug 

 on the ground in the forest. (See PI. XXVI.) How 

 they came there does not interest us at present; we 

 do uot care to know whether they were carried by the 

 wind, as often happens with the winged seeds of many 

 trees, such as Pines and Maples, or whether the squir- 



FiG. 46.— Seedlings of Western Hemlock growing thickly ou a lalleu log. 



Western Washington. 



rels and birds dropped and planted some of them, as 

 they frequently do acorns and chestnuts, or whether the 

 old trees stood closely about and sowed the seed them- 

 selves. We will only suppose them to be all of one kind, 

 and to be scattered in a place where the soil, the mois- 

 ture, and the light are all just as they should be for 



their successful 



germination. 



and afterwards for the 



