REPORTS OF AUXILIARY SOCIETIES. 303 



must be perforated and then covered with little stones or broken pieces of pot- 

 tery. In this way the drainage of the water and the admission of air is 

 assured. This coarse drainage is then covered with a thick layer of sandv 

 soil, on this is spread a layer of seed, this is followed by a layer of earth, on 

 which is again spread a layer of seed, then another layer of earth, and so on, 

 until the vessel is quite filled. Too great a number of layers, however, would 

 rot the fleshy fruits and make the others mouldy. Five layers are accepted as 

 the average for any kind of seed. The soil which is used must be dry, loose 

 and fine. We recommend loamy river sand which has been exposed to atmos- 

 pheric influences for a year and has been often stirred. Sometimes the several 

 layers of earth are pressed down so that the sprouting rootlets of an upper 

 layer cannot reach the lower ones. The earth layers are made from one to 

 lwo inches, according to the size of the seeds. The seeds are put side by side, 

 without encroaching, in order that germination may take place freelv ; and 

 the gardener who knows the development of the embryo can obtain the better 

 development of the plantlets by the position of the seeds. The box or vessel 

 fixed for the reception of the seed must be brought to a cellar or a dark out- 

 house,, and so it is needful to take all the material needed there and proceed 

 to stratification. If rats and mice are feared, one can prevent their doing any 

 harm by covering the last layer with boards, bricks or pieces of slate. It is 

 best to water sparingly, only two wettings are sufficient ; the layers are mostly 

 watered but once, about midwinter. The state of germination is examined 

 from February 15 to March 15 ; should it be backward, the wetting is 

 renewed, and this would be the first watering if the stratification had been 

 made in January. The time of the stratification must be calculated according 

 to the facility of germination of the seeds. Wishing to hurry an early germi- 

 nation by too early sowing would have a bad influence on the plant and expose 

 it to the caprices of early spring. 



We must begin with the kinds which germinate with difficulty and slowly, 

 and after having softened the leathery envelope by soaking it in water during 

 twenty-four hours, the seed is well prepared. Almonds, for example, which 

 were put in layers in January or February, after such preparation and after 

 having been watered a month later, can be set out in April, and that is early 

 enough. The temperature of the place in which the stratified seeds are kept 

 has to be taken into account. Moderate warmth has a furthering influence 

 on vegetation. Unless the cellar be an ice cellar, growth will commence always 

 later out of doors than in such a protected place. 



For stratification in the open air we choose a sheltered, dry and easily drained 

 corner in the garden ; for example, the foot of the wall of a building. A hole 

 must be dug broader at the bottom than at the opening and the seed sur- 

 rounded by some loose soil. To counteract dampness and frost also, the 

 uppermost layer must incline to the front and be covered with straw or dry 

 leaves. The hole might be lined with brush, boards or bricks. Should there 

 be too much dampness stratification in heaps would be preferable to that in 

 holes. The hill is then again covered with a thick layer of earth and straw or 

 dry leaves, and over this some brush. On the top of the heap is placed a pot 

 bottom side up, and at its base is opened a small ditch for drainage. Damp- 

 ness can further be prevented by covering the soil with gravel or by raising the 

 heap. Stratification in the open air is used with hardy kinds of seeds of which 

 one has a considerable quantity. So the seeds of the maple and ash-tree are 

 put in layers before they dry up, as their germination takes place only after 

 eighteen months. 



