556 REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF AGRICULTURE. 
arrive at maturity in the latter part of November and the first part of 
December are considered the best. 
The most favorable season for the germination and development of the 
piant is that in which the acorns fall naturally, in autumn or at the 
beginning of winter. But at this season the field-mice and birds are 
apt to eat the acorns. in the spring the young trees are exposed to 
injury from the late frosts, but there is less danger from this source 
than there is of the seeds being eaten if planted in the fall. It is im- 
possible, however, to give any fixed rule on this point, as so much de- 
pends upon local circumstances. When there is no strong reason for | 
planting in the spring, autumn should be preferred, because if the 
seed has had time to sprout the young roots spread and get a good 
hold during the winter, and in the spring the young plants flourish all 
the better. ‘ 
Several methods of preserving the acorns have been adopted. One 
way is to put them in a sack of coarse material or in a box or barrel full 
of small holes, and to keep them under water until ready for planting. 
Another is to place them, with alternate layers of sand or earth, in 
trenches lined with boards or brickwork. Some persons have obtained 
excellent results by storing the freshly gathered acorns in a well-venti- 
lated room, stirring them frequently, and, when tolerably dry, putting 
them in heaps of from 2 to 3 feet high and covering them with a coat of 
leaves 1 foot thick, with a further covering of branches and moss, the 
whole covered with a thatch of straw. It has been recommended, if a 
safe and sheltered place under trees can be found, that the acorns be 
mixed with leaves and put in heaps from 1 to 2 feet high, the whole to 
be covered with leaves. When the acorns are stored in this way, plant- 
ing should be begun with the first approach of spring, else the acorns 
might sprout in the heaps. 
To protect the young plants from the cold, extreme heat, and excess 
of light, it is sometimes the custom to mix other kinds of seed with the 
acorns, sometimes cereals and sometimes pine-seed, as in Gascony, where 
the sea-pine (Pinus maritima, Lain.) grows luxuriantly by the side of the 
cork tree. About the twelfth year some of the pines may be cut down 
to give more light to the soil. Two or three years later the pruning of 
the cork trees may be begun. Every year, until pruning is begun, all 
injurious shrubs should be destroyed, but care should be taken to pro- 
vide sufficient shade to keep the soil from drying too rapidly. The 
pruning should be repeated every four or five years, and the ground 
around the shade-trees should be lightly worked. 
In damp or marshy places, or where the land is used for pasture, 
transplanting or setting out young trees may be resorted to. To obtain 
these, acorns may be planted in beds or in pots, one acorn in each pot. 
The latter is more convenient, but more expensive. 
In transplanting, great care should be taken to equalize, as far as 
possible, the absorbent surface of the roots with the exhalant surface of 
the leaves, preferring the spring or summer for the operation. Some 
plantations have been successfully planted with trees from ten to twelve 
years old, the tops being cut off 6 or 7 feet from the ground. If any of 
the roots should be broken in taking up the young tree, they should be 
cut off, as the bruised roots might rot and injure the tree. If the young 
trees can be taken up without hurting any of the roots, they may be 
transplanted at any time, and there will be no need to cut off any of the 
branches. The trees should be transplanted so soon as possible after 
being taken from the ground, and the roots should be covered with moss 
or straw if they are to be carried to a distance. 
