FOREST TREE SEED. 1 43 



being selected, late flowering and sprouting specimens in late 

 situations or climates should be chosen, everything else being 

 equal. Through time we might thus produce a late flower- 

 ing and sprouting strain, thus avoiding, to some extent at 

 least, the danger of damage by frost. Several exotic species 

 have a bad habit of making secondary growths in autumn, 

 especially if the weather is mild. These secondary growths, being 

 soft and unripe, are often damaged or completely destroyed by 

 the winter's frost. This defect might also be partially or wholly 

 removed, if the influence of place of origin was thoroughly 

 investigated, and taken into consideration when selecting seed. 

 A strain of trees might be produced which would not be so 

 easily tempted to rush into growth by mild autumn weather, 

 such as we often have in Britain, particularly on the west coast. 

 The difficulties encountered in seaside planting are well known. 

 High winds, salt spray, and salt-laden air make the establish- 

 ment and rearing of seaside woods difficult and costly. Many 

 species of conifers and hardwoods have been tried with various 

 results. Some species have, of course, proved much more 

 suitable than others. Suitable species could be improved, 

 and brought to a higher degree of suitability if the seed were 

 always obtained from a good class of parent trees, well inured 

 to the conditions under which their offspring will be expected 

 to exist. I rather doubt whether the seed from which our sea- 

 side trees are raised is always collected in maritime regions. 

 Although some parcels of really well-selected seed suitable 

 for seaside planting may arrive from abroad, yet owing to the 

 lack of organisation, and the "happy-go-lucky" methods which 

 prevail, the plants produced may never be planted at the 

 seaside. Although many exotic species grow well and retain 

 their vigour in Britain when raised from foreign seed, still their 

 offspring may, owing to the influence of new environments, not 

 be just as vigorous, and may be somewhat more subject to 

 disease. On the other hand, some species may show an all- 

 round improvement. It is important, therefore, that the 

 behaviour of trees raised from the seed of home-grown exotic 

 species should be kept under careful observation, and compared 

 with trees grown from well-selected foreign seed. 



Regarding point 3, I do not think any sensible person will for 

 a moment have any doubts as to the importance of obtaining 

 seed from healthy trees, with robust constitutions. Seed 



