DATES OF RIPENING AND FALL OF SEEDS. 



671 



oaks and other trees may fructify in both years, so that in the 

 first year the reserve material is exhausted, but is replaced in 

 the second year sufficiently for the tree to bear fruit. When 

 late frost occurs in a year while the trees are blossoming, 

 damp cold weather, or violent gales during pollination, the 

 flowers may not fructify. 



Good soil does not accelerate fruit-bearing, until the tree has 

 attained the age of fertility ; before this period it is poor soil, 

 unsuitable for the species, that determines precocious and 

 frequent fructification. All sickly individuals produce abund- 

 ance of seed, although frequently this premature seed does not 

 germinate. 



As regards the number of fertile seeds, the light seeds 

 come first, and the heavy seeds last, though often the eye 

 of the forester is deceived about this when there is a good 

 mast-year of oak or beech. 



SECTION III. DATES OF ]III'KNIN<I AND FALL OF SEEDS. 



The dates of ripening and fall of seeds depend chiefly on the 

 heat of the locality, which expedites both of these operations ; 

 dry air also expedites them, but in general the following 

 calendar is correct : 



Kii'KXix<; i IF SI;I;D. 



