NURSERY MANAGEMENT 53 



cover the seeds. A light roller should then be passed over 

 the bed. 



If the seed is to be sown in drills these should be made to 

 run across the bed to facilitate future weeding. A drill is 

 made with a small hoe, or by pressing the edge of a board into 

 the soil, other drills being then made parallel to the first at the 

 proper distance apart. 



When the seed is sown it is covered by drawing soil over 

 the drills with a rake, or by sprinkling fine earth on the 

 surface. 



Sowing in drills is more satisfactory than broadcast sowing, 

 as the plants have more light and root-space, but it takes up a 

 lot of ground and broadcast sowing is therefore usually pre- 

 ferred. In both cases care must be taken not to sow too 

 thickly, though, if seedlings are to be pricked out at the end 

 of one year the seed may be sown more thickly than if they 

 are to remain two years in the seed-bed. 



The following table is compiled from Schlich's Manual of 

 Fores try J$\sbe\!s The Forester, and Simpson's Estate Nursery t 

 and the figures have been checked as far as possible by the 

 author during six years' work in the Dean Forest nurseries. 

 It gives the season to sow, the depth of covering, the number 

 of plants expected from one pound of seed, and other useful 

 information. 



With regard to ash seed, this is usually mixed with sand in 

 a pit and is not sown till the second spring. In 1919 the 

 author was informed by a Belgian forester that if ash seed is 

 collected while green in August and sown at once it germinates 

 the first spring. This method should, therefore, be given 

 a good trial as it saves a year, and much labour is also saved. 

 This method might also be tried for hornbeam, hawthorn, and 

 holly. 



