Management of the Ruffed Grouse 361 



ensue if any acid remains, possibly causing acid bums. After the 

 seeds are thoroughly washed, add one tablespoonful of washing 

 soda for each quart of water to neutrahze the acid. Then rinse again 

 thorouf^hly in clean water after which the seeds are ready for 

 planting. 



Bayberry seed should have the outer wax coating removed just 

 before stratification. This may be done by abrasion. Sand paper is 

 useful for this pinpose. Separation of the cleaned seed from the 

 granular bits of wax may be done through a screen. 



The seeds of the northern viburnums also require special con- 

 sideration. They go through two stages of germination instead of 

 one. The root develops after a period of warm weather and the 

 leaves are not released until after a period of cold. The seeds should 

 not be stratified but rather held in dry storage until midsummer 

 of the year following collection when they should be sown. 



Preparation of the Nursery Seed Beds. Selection of suitable soils 

 for the nursery beds is of the utmost importance. For all species the 

 soil should be deep and well drained but not drouthy. A light 

 sandy soil is the best for growing the conifers and small-seeded 

 hardwoods. Heavier loam soils are better for the large-seeded hard- 

 woods, although tight clay soils should be avoided. 



Location of the seed beds should be made with great care. Sites 

 that can be worked early in the spring and soon after rains are best. 

 Friable soils free of stones make operations easier. Fields in sod 

 should be put through a cultivated crop before they are used for 

 seedling beds in order to reduce the weeds and white grubs, and 

 to eliminate clods. 



The area should be deep-plowed and thoroughly haiTowed a 

 month in advance of seeding time so as to eliminate as many weeds 

 as possible. Do not use manure in the prepaiation of the beds. After 

 thorough disc-harrowing it is convenient to lay out the area in 

 standard beds four feet wide and a hundred feet long. Bomiding all 

 sides a pathway two feet wide should be left. Soil from the paths is 

 thrown up on the beds so as to make them four to six inches higher. 

 This insures good drainage and helps to prevent washing. When 

 the bed has been built up, it should be raked thoroughly, filling in 

 the low spots, and making a level surface. Beds should be raked 

 out a little wider than the four-foot dimension so that a full four- 



