30 THE BOOK OF EVERGREENS. 



more freely, and, consequently, the embryo is brought into 

 action more readily. The practice of old gardeners of 

 placing their seeds on cotton in a vessel of water, for the 

 purpose of testing their vitality, is well known ; and we 

 have seen acorns, while on the parent tree, sprouting. But 

 these are only illustrations showing how readily some 

 seeds germinate, and should be regarded as exceptions 

 to the general rule. 



If seeds of the Conifers are to be sent long distances, 

 they must be protected from contact with moisture, 

 whether in the air, or in the packing material. An excel- 

 lent method for protecting seeds from the atmosphere is 

 to place them in a tightly corked bottle ; but this plan has 

 its disadvantages and is deprecated by many, but for lim- 

 ited periods we have seen excellent success result from it. 

 Various plans and suggestions have been offered by men 

 of experience for transporting seeds, yet none are entirely 

 infallible. Probably the best method is that recommended 

 by Prof. Lindley. He says: "Upon the whole, the only 

 mode which is calculated to meet all the circumstances to 

 which seeds are exposed during a voyage, is, to dry them 

 as thoroughly as possible, enclose them in coarse paper, 

 and to pack the papers themselves very loosely in coarse 

 canvass bags, not enclosed in boxes, but freely exposed to 

 the air ; and to insure their transmission in some dry, well 

 ventilated place. 



"Thus, if the seeds are originally dried incompletely, 

 they will become further dried on their passage ; if the 

 seed-paper is damp, as it almost always is, the moisture 

 will fly off through the sides of the bags, and will not 

 stagnate around the seeds." The same authority states : 

 " For seeds containing oily matter, which are peculiarly 

 liable to destruction (by their oil becoming rancid), ram- 

 ming in dry earth has been found advantageous." Our 

 own experience with this latter plan has been very satis- 



