70 ELEMENTARY FORESTRY. 



vitality very quickly when stored. (3) Some seeds, such as 

 those of the Plum, Cherry and Black Walnut, require severe 

 freezing when moist in order to germinate. (4) Seeds that are 

 covered with water will not generally grow. This is true at least 

 of our northern tree seeds. (5) The seeds of some trees germi- 

 nate at a temperature near freezing, while others require a much 

 higher temperature. (6) After seeds of some plants have 

 become very dry, scalding may aid them in germinating, while 

 with others scalding is injurious. It is sometimes desirable to 

 soak seeds for one or two days in tepid water, and then mix with 

 sand and freeze before sowing. Lindley records that seeds found 

 in raspberry jam grew after passing through the heat necessary 

 to boil syrup (240 degrees Fahr.) and that seeds of Acacia and 

 Lophantha grew after being boiled five minutes, but our com- 

 mon tree seeds will not stand such treatment. 



Stratification, as the term is used in this connection, refers 

 to the storing of seeds mixed with layers of earth, leaves or other 

 material. It is customary to apply the term solely to seeds that 

 are mixed in this way and kept frozen over winter. It is the 

 common practice with the seeds of such trees as the Black Wal- 

 nut, Hickory, Basswood, Plum, Cherry and Mountain Ash. 

 Where only small quantities are to be cared for they are gener- 

 ally mixed in boxes and the boxes buried in well drained soil out 

 of doors, but where large quantities are to be handled they may 

 be mixed with soil on the surface of the ground and left until 

 spring; such a pile is termed a pit. One of the best materials 

 with which to cover seed pits is inverted grass sod. It is a good 

 plan to have the material that is mixed with the seed so fine 

 that it will easily go through a screen and leave the seeds sep- 

 arated for sowing. 



Wintering Acorns and Other Nuts in I/arge Quanti- 

 ties. On account of the great liability to injury where a large 

 amount of nuts are stored in heaps, and on account of the imprac- 

 ticability many times of stratifying them with sand, the following 

 plan is resorted to in some sections: 



A house is made, preferably with a sandy floor, so as to secure 

 good drainage, and is covered with sod roof and sides, so as to 

 keep out most of the frost. This may be of any size, but perhaps 

 5o feet in width and any length \\<>uld be very convenient. The 



