2424. 



AKB0KETU:M and FRUTICETUM. part III. 



2281 



axis. The scales being then opened with the hand, the seeds readily come 

 out. The following mode of extracting the seeds is recommended by M. Loise- 

 leur Deslongchanips : — " As good seeds are never found within 6 or 8 lines 

 of either the base or the summit of cones, the extreme ends of each cone are 

 first sawn off; the cones, for this purpose, being put into a vice. After this 

 a hole may be drilled through the axis, or they may be split in the manner 

 already recommended. According to M. Loiseleur Deslongchamps, a work- 

 man will prepare 20 cones in an hour; each cone, if somewhat large, will con- 

 tain 100 seeds, and consequently one man may separate 20,000 seeds in a 

 day. The smaller cones contain from .30 to 60 seeds ; and the larger from 

 110 to 170 seeds, exclusive of from 10 to 15 per cent of abortive seeds." 

 (Hint, du Ccdre, &c., p. 50.) These abortive seeds are filled with a soft resin- 

 ous matter, instead of a kernel ; and they may easily be separated from the 

 perfect seeds, by throwing the whole into water before sowing. Tlie seeds 

 ought to be committed to the soil immediately after being taken out of the 

 cones ; more especially if the latter have been steeped, because in that case 

 the seeds have swelled, and might be injured, if left to shrink. If the seeds 

 arc sown in March or April, they will come up in a month or six weeks ; 

 and still sooner if they have been steeped. Like the other ylbietina^, they 

 should be sown in light rich soil, and covered thinly. Sang recommends 

 the covering to be J in. deep ; and this depth may be diminished or increased, 

 according to the lightness or heaviness of the soil. The seeds may be either 

 sown in l)eds in the open garden, or in large flat pots or boxes; but the latter 

 is the more convenient mode, as it admits of preserving the whole of the roots 

 in transj)lantiiig. The plants rise li in. or 4 in. high the first year, with scarcely 

 any tapi'oots ; l)ut these increase afterwards, as the plants advance in size. 

 At the end of the first year, the seedlings may i)e transplanted into nursery 

 lines, or, what is more convenient, into small pots; and, in commercial nurse- 

 ries, they should every year be shifted into pots a size larger, till they are sold 



