Some Aspects of European forestry. 487 



noted that manuring affects the development of shoot rather than 

 root. Where temporary nurseries are used, manuring is seldom 

 necessary because of the inherent freshness of the soil. Indeed, 

 here the practice is to use the areas once as seed beds and, fol- 

 lowing this, as transplant beds. In permanent nurseries 

 ing is, of course, practical. 



The quantity of seed sown in the nursery varies according to 

 local experience ; the following figures are approximate : 



Species Germinati-on Per Cent Quantity of Seed Sotvn 



(Average) Per square yd. of seed bed. 



Oak 80% . . 4.82 to 5.36 lbs. 



Beech 75% •• i-07 to .75 " 



Hornbeam 70% . . .60 to .75 " 



Alder 40% •• .15 to .18 " 



Maple 50% .. .60 to .72 " with wings 



Ash 50% .. .54 to .60 " " 



Elm 40% . . .30 to .36 " " 



Birch 20% .. .12 to .15 " " 



Spruce 80% .. .15 to .24 " wingless 



Fir 50% . . .18 to .60 " 



Scotch Pine (P. silvestris75% . . .21 to .24 " " 



Austrian Pine (P. aus- 



triaca) 75% .. .42 to .54 " " 



Larch 40% . . .27 to .30 " 



Broadcasting in the seedbeds is not customary unless the seed- 

 lings are to be field planted directly — i. e. not transplanted. Drill 

 sowing, it is felt, affords a better opportunity to weed and to 

 cultivate, oft'setting the cost of the additional space. 



The best practice frowns upon the preliminary soaking of seed 

 to encourage germination, since this hurries nature and exposes 

 the seedling to damage by drought in the drier seedbeds. 



Overhead covers of brush are used commonly, more than are 

 lath frames — at least in temporary nurseries. Mulching with 

 leaves or moss is usually confined to the space between the drills. 

 Later in spring this is removed, partially at least, and small 

 branches trimmed of their twigs but with the bark on, or small 

 pieces of cull plank, or straw matting or even cheap tiles, are 



