EVERGREENS. 265 



of the trees would be constantly in the sun, while 

 others would be shaded the same. 



Some seasons are much more favorable for doing 

 this work than others. When we have frequent 

 showers followed by hot sunshine, and hotter winds 

 they are almost sure to "damp off," unless extra 

 care is used to prevent it. Damping off is the kill- 

 ing of the young plants at the ground surface, 

 while the roots and tops are all right. This does 

 not occur when they are self sown under the parent 

 tree, and it is supposed that the thick bed of needles 

 which always is found there is the secret of this. 

 We may take a hint from this and cover our seed 

 beds, as soon as the seed is planted, with these 

 needles to the depth of a half-inch. The plants 

 will find their way through. We have used coarse 

 sawdust with fair results, but the nearer we can 

 approach nature the better. 



The seed should be sown quite thickly, and very 

 lightly covered. The beds should be prepared by 

 working the earth as finely as possible. Some sift 

 all the earth that they use through a sieve of about 

 1 8 meshes to the inch. When the beds are so pre- 

 pared, and the ground smoothed and patted level 

 the seed are sown, and covered by sifting on more 

 earth till they are covered to the depth of about % 

 of an inch when it is patted down again, the needles 

 applied, and this is ready for the germination. The 

 screens should not be placed on till there is a show 

 of plants pricking through. Should the weather 

 be very dry after the Feeds are planted, it may be 



