REPORTS OF AUXILIARY SOCIETIES. 301 



Lastly, we also sow directly after their maturity somewhat less hardshelled 

 seeds with a fleshy kernel, which soon loses its germinating power upon contact 

 with air, as the seeds of the oak, chestnut, and the berries of the laurel tree. 

 Thus our imitation of nature in germination seems more assured, the plants 

 grow quicker and earlier, and the tree itself grows more hardy. 



We must not forget, however, to mention the unfavorable side of this 

 method, which is that in sowing before winter one has to fear decay and damage 

 by animals. To avoid this double evil, an intermediate sowing has been intro- 

 duced, by which the seed is preserved from the time of harvest to its germina- 

 tion. We call this method the stratification of seeds, of which we will speak 

 later. 



For sowing in spring we await the month of April. Then our planting is 

 finished, the climate having attained the proper temperature and the earth 

 being somewhat warmed. If, however, great heat or constant rains are to be 

 feared, it will be better to postpone the work and wait for more favorable 

 weather. The fall seeds are not so delicate as those of spring. As germina- 

 tion begins only after winter it suffices that the soil prepared for the reception 

 of the seed should be in the condition which is required for the cultivation of 

 the species in general. 



Preparation of the Seed for Solving. 



We delay gathering the seeds of the woody plants until the fruit which con- 

 tains them is quite ripe. Some of the fruits fall off or change color where 

 they are grown to the tree ; with others the envelope dries up or decays. In . 

 short, the conditions which mark the maturity of different seeds cannot be 

 expressed in general terms. To recognize maturity is the task of the faithful 

 observer and the professional men, who are seldom deceived. After a violent 

 wind, and when the time of early frost approaches, the fruit which lies scattered 

 on the ground must be gathered. Most of the seeds, however, require to be 

 picked by hand or knocked off with poles. The kernels of eatable fruits are 

 put aside for early sowing as soon as the fruit has been eaten or otherwise dis- 

 posed of. The kernel is left in the envelope if the latter is not inclined to 

 mould or ferment and is not in the way when handled, as is the case with pulpy 

 fruit, the pulp of which soon spoils. If decomposition would be hurtful, how- 

 ever, the seeds are taken out soon after the harvest or during the winter, which 

 can be done mostly without washing by mere rubbing, etc. The seeds must be 

 kept in boxes of sound wood or in labeled linen bags in a place which is neither 

 too damp nor too dry, or, if that is not possible, in a rather dry place; and 

 they must be kept from the light and from the influence of frost. It is nec- 

 essary to keep the seed in good condition until the time of sowing, and in 

 order to preserve it from shrinking and moulding and sprouting the germ, it 

 must be treated carefully from the harvest day. We begin by exposing the seed 

 to the air, which dries it gradually without hurting it by the removal of its 

 innate moisture which it needs for germination, and proceed in the following 

 manner : 



As soon as the seeds are gathered they are freed from their useless parts and 

 spread on a sheet or on the dry floor of a barn in the shade. They are aired 

 sometimes either by shaking them or by turning them several times until the 

 shell has attained the natural color of maturity. Should they be spread on 

 the floor this period is recognized by the entire disappearance of the dampness 

 which the seed had communicated to the wood. It is useless to treat in this 

 way fine seeds or such as are enclosed in a capsule or those which must be 

 sowed and stratified immediately. There are certain seeds surrounded by a 



