FOREST COMMISSIONKU'S REPORT. 69 



long a time as the various substances of which they are composed 

 remain unchanged. Many seeds contain a large percentage of oil, 

 that, under certain conditions, soon becomes rancid, and destroys 

 their vitality. The same effect is produced by undue moisture and 

 heat. When a seed absorbs moisture, oxygen is also absorbed, 

 the starch and other substances are decomposed, and if heat is 

 present, germination commences. Small seeds that are to be trans- 

 ported long distances, by mail or otherwise, should be dry, and so 

 packed as to exclude moisture. Before planting, soak the seeds 

 in tepid water for two days, or until they have become swollen If 

 seeds of the maple are kept dry through the winter, but few of 

 them will germinate before the second year. 



Mr. Jackson Dawson, of the Arnold Arboretum, says : "In sow- 

 ing in the fall, begin with the oak, chestnut, hickory, and beech 

 nuts, which do not retain their vitality long, and must be either 

 planted, or put in boxes of earth as soon as practicable. The 

 maples, with the exception of the white and the red, which ripen 

 their seed in June, should be sown as soon as possible after gather- 

 ing. The ash must also be sown at once. The hornbeam and hop- 

 hornbeam will not come up until the second year, unless sown in 

 the autumn. The tupelo, flowering dog-wood, shadbush, nettle 

 tree, viburnums, and thorns, seldom come up till the second year. 

 The plum, peach, apple, and pear never come up evenly the first 

 year unless the seed has frozen or kept in boxes of moist earth. 

 The tulip-tree invariably takes two years. The ailantus, catalpa, 

 mulberries, button-ball, birches, i.ud alders, are best sown in 

 spring. The white and scarlet maples, the elms, and the red or 

 river birches, ripen their seed early in summer, and should be sown 

 in freshly prepared beds as soon as gathered." 



PURCHASING SF.EDLINGS. 



There may be some who will distrust their ability to grow the 

 more delicate seedlings successfully. For the benefit of such, it 

 may be stated that small trees may be purchased at a very low 

 price. There are parties at the AVest who, having the requisite 

 facilities and skill, make the growing of evergreen and forest-tree 

 seedlings a specialty. They supply them at what would seem to be 

 merely a nominal price, and there are dealers much nearer who would 

 furnish them cheaper than they can be grown by a novice. In a 



