852 The Jotirnal of Fo7'estry. 



bolt-like insertions, which, if left in the trunk, prove so injurious to 

 the timber. 



The pruning and trimming of all evergreens, whether shrubs or 

 hedges, may be proceeded with. Whm or furze seeds may be sown 

 either in the nursery or where required for permanent hedges or 

 cover. Fences formed of- this should only be trimmed once a year, 

 and that between the middle and end of June. 



April is a good month for sowing grass seeds upon wood- rides, 

 or for game cover in situations where the shade is either light or 

 dense. Select seeds according to the situation, and having secured 

 a firm bottom and fine surface, cover in as lightly as possible. 

 Much of the seed usually sown is lost from being too deeply 

 buried. 



Should warm weather set in, the falling of oak and bark-stripping 

 will in the south demand all the forester's attention before the end of 

 April. This is an operation of such importance that all other forest 

 work must give way to it. Watch closely the falling to prevent 

 damage to the standing timber, and allow as little hammering of 

 the bark as possible. See that the smaller branches down to about 

 one inch in diameter are stripped. The drying and harvesting will 

 also require close attention, to prevent mouldin ess in a wet season, and 

 over-drying and consequent loss of weight in hot weather. Expose the 

 inside to the sun and rain as little as possible, and deliver or stack as 

 soon as the bark becomes brittle. 



The middle of April is perhaps the most favourable time for sowing 

 coniferous seeds. The practice of laying the cones upon the beds, to 

 open and shed their seeds under the combined influence of heat and 

 moisture, is a very slovenly one, and uncertain in its results. By far 

 the best way to extract the seeds is to place the cones upon a kiln (a 

 hop-oast is well adapted for this purpose), and if they are spread upon 

 the hair about 7 or 8 inches thick, and a regular heat of not more than 

 110° Fahrenheit kept up for ten or eleven hours, they may then be 

 removed to the thrashing-floor and beaten out by the common 



flail. 



Amono" the spruce forests of the Hartz Mountains kilns are kept up 

 by the Government, Avhose officers receive the cones from the men 

 who gather them by contract. There it is estimated that one 

 bushel of the cones will yield lyV lbs. of the seed when divested of 

 their wings. 



As a o-uide to those sowing coniferous seeds we may state that a 

 sample of average qusility produces under favourable circumstances of 

 soil and climate about f of good germinating seeds ; also that about 

 1 ,000 seedling plants to the square yard is considered fair nursery space. 

 The approximate number of seeds contained in lib. of each of the different 



