SEEDING FOREST TREES. 79 



permitted to operate, while the others are interwoven 

 with small twigs or branches of willows. In light soils 

 the seed should not be covered deeper than one quarter 

 of an inch, while in heavy soils the cover should be even 

 thinner. 



(b) Beds for the nut-bearing Trees, especially for 

 Oak, Chestnut and Hickory Trees. 



The storing of acorns, chestnuts and hickory nuts 

 during the winter being attended by many difficulties, 

 on account of their being easily injured by frost, wet, 

 dry and heating, fall seeding can only be recommended, 

 and this mode is always successful, if the mice be kept 

 from the seed. Poisoned wheat or corn in drain-pipes 

 has proved most useful. On the thoroughly worked and 

 well prepared seed-beds, four drills about 15 inches apart, 

 and two inches deep for acorns and chestnuts, and three 

 inches deep for walnuts and hickory nuts, are opened 

 with the hand hoe, and healthy, well selected acorns or 

 nuts placed in the rows so close that they nearly touch 

 each other, whereupon the drills are raked perfectly 

 even with the soil of the bed. It is not necessary to fill 

 the rows with ashes or burnt sods, or with compost ; but 

 where the means permit this application, it will be found 

 of great advantage in the development of the plants. 

 The beds are then covered with dry leaves, two inches 

 high, and burdened with brush-wood to prevent uncover- 

 ing by winds. * When spring opens with warm days, the 

 leaf-cover is removed and piled alongside the beds. 

 After the plants have sprung up the ground should be 

 cleansed and thoroughly raked. The leaves have then to 

 be scattered between the drills, to be used as a mulch for 

 preventing the growth of weeds. 



The one-year-old plants may be transplanted to their 

 place of destination (groves), if game is not apt to damage 



