842 



AMERICAN FORESTRY 



via.ijiw I -I 



I h 1. I I A II i;i. 



The wood is very satisfactory and nuicli in demand fnr all back ng and In.lden work in the manufacture of store and office fixtures. This 



iihistration shows a set of tier liins for use in a large grocery. 



Unfortunately, Imt few rif the seeds are fertile. No greatly strengthened ami will lie better able to withstand 

 one of our useful timber trees has sti low a percentage the adverse conditions which they will encounter in the 

 of fertility in its seed as the tulip tree. (Jld trees are fiirest plantation — for at best there are but few fibrous 

 said to give a higher percentage of fertile seeds than roots and these are fleshy, soft, and easily broken. Trans- 

 young ones, but even these cannot Ije counted on for a planting directly from the seed-bed to the forest is seldom 

 higher rate of fertility than KJ per cent at best. In fact, successful. 



i*^ is not safe to coiuit on over -J per cent iiroducing a 

 plant. 



As must be seen, this lack nf fertility in the seeds in 

 a veritable "lion in the path" of both natural and arti- 

 ficial propagation. Xor is that the only difficulty that 

 must be encountered and overcome. If the seeds, by any 

 means, whether gathered and stored or left lying on the 

 ground, shall become dry to any great extent, they will 



Although the seedlings may safely be removed to the 

 transplant bed and there make a good growth, the lia- 

 bility of failure to live or thrive when removed to the 

 jjlace where they are to grow to maturity, is still another 

 danger to be encountered. As has been indicated, the tree 

 must be classed as emphatically light-demanding, but this 

 strong demand iov light deies not appear to prevail for 

 the first few years of its life, just how many is not known. 



either fail to germinate or prolong that event for a year, Observation shows that if the seeds are sown and gernii- 

 but more frequently the former. If artificial pnipagation nate among briars and low shrubs the plants will thrive 

 is undertaken the seeds should be gathered as soon as and make great headway in overcoming their worthless 

 ripe and either planted in the seed-bed at once — which companions, and almost invariably succeed ; and it is 

 would be best — or stored in damp sand until spring, but among such surroundings that nearly all natural reproduc- 

 not allowed to become mouldy. I'licing them where tion takes place, but if by any means the seeds are sown 

 they will freeze will be an advantage as tending to soften and germinate on bare, naked ground where the sun can 

 the hard shell enclosing the small seed. If a long, dry fall p'^ur down on them all day long, the young plants do not 

 occurs and the seeds that fall on the ground become dry, thrive as well, if they grow at all, as when growing in the 

 little natural regeneration can result. shade which the low bushes and briars afford them. A 

 But this lack of fertility in the seeds, or their failing case occuiTeil under the writer's observation where an 

 to germinate through becoming dry. is not the only trouble open field — (in wdiich grew only grass and a few insignifi- 

 which will be encountered in artificial reproduction. cant weeds of little height — was bordered on one end and 

 While germination in the seed-bed may occur and the along its two sides by virgin forests that, at times, cast a 

 plants grow well under lath screens for the first year shadow over a border of the field, varying from 50 to 100 

 and reach a height of from •") to 10 inches, the seedlings feet in width. On this end there was planted a pot about 

 should no longer be allowed to stay there bui he removed 200 feet wide with ".'-year-old seedling tulip trees. Sub- 

 to the transplant bed or to the ground where they are to stantially all grew as well as could be expected for the 

 grow to maturity — far the best to the transi)Iant bed, first year, but at the end of the fourth vear from the 

 however, for there they will get their root development time of setting them out. practically all were dead except 



