226 NATURE STUDY. 



pleasure, but the parks and commons, even in the smaller 

 cities, usually present a considerable variety of trees and 

 shrubs from which seeds may be obtained at the proper 

 season, with almost no trouble at all. 



In her "Garden Notes," in the Hartford Times, Mrs. 

 Wilhelmina Seliger tells interestingly of her experience 

 with seeds which she collected in a park in her city. The 

 following extract from the " Notes" is suggestive of pos- 

 sibilities for other nature lovers, and for teachers and pu- 

 pils in the use of some portion of their school grounds. 



"It is fascinating," writes Mrs. Seliger, " to raise trees 

 from seed, and shrubs also. I have quite a number of 

 them, various kinds, the specimens I gathered by chance 

 in Bushnell Park. There are now growing two honey lo- 

 cust trees, two Kentucky coffee trees, several gingkos, a 

 red-flowered horsechestnut, whose leaves in unfolding have 

 a dard red color, as a contrast to the light green of ordina- 

 ry trees of this kind. Then I have a hawthorne and a bar- 

 berry bush, a spice bush, and several oaks and nuts. All 

 have stood well several winters, but are small yet. Seeds 

 of more are not 3'et up, and some are not in the ground 

 yet, as I feared a night frost might kill them in our exposed 

 locality. There are Pinus ponderosa from the state of 

 Washington and Sequoia seinpervirens, the California red- 

 wood. Of this latter an authority told me it is not hardy 

 here, but Sequoia gigantea is. Seed of this is not to be had, 

 and young seedlings cost from one to two dollars apiece. 

 A Persian walnut six or seven years old from the seed, 

 better known as the English walnut, I encase every winter 

 in old bagging ; perhaps it will not grow old and may nev- 

 er bear nuts, but then I had every season of its life the 

 pleasure of seeing it sprout out very late, and inhaling the 

 strong scent of its leaves. In northern German}^ these 

 walnut trees are found near the houses of many farms and 

 also in city yards. They pay well for their raising, and 

 are also a special favorite for the home." 



