THE BEECHNUT. 47 



Propagation of the Beech. The beech, in all 

 its species and varieties, may be propagated by the usual 

 modes, viz. : By seed, layers, budding and grafting. 

 The seeds, when gathered, should be mixed with clean, 

 sharp, moist sand, placed in boxes, and then stored in a 

 cool or cold place and carefully protected from mice, 

 until the time arrives for sowing in spring. They may 

 also be sown in the fall and lightly covered with leaf 

 mold or other light soil, but unless coated with tar or 

 some offensive poisonous substance, vermin of some 

 form will be very likely to find them and leave few 

 to grow. Seedlings are used for stocks upon which 

 to work the many varieties in cultivation ; but as I 

 am not writing this for the encouragement of propaga- 

 tors of purely ornamental trees, I will omit giving 

 any very extended description of the different modes 

 of propagating the beech, further than to say that 

 should remarkably fine varieties with extra-sized nuts be 

 discovered or produced, they can be perpetuated and 

 multiplied by the same processes adopted for other kinds 

 of nut trees. 



Soil and Location. The beeches of Northern 

 countries, in their many varieties, thrive best in a cool, 

 moist soil, for their roots rarely penetrate very deeply, but 

 spread out widely and near the surface, forming an intri- 

 cate network, which will try the patience of the wood- 

 man who attempts to clear away a forest of beech and 

 break up the ground. In this country, as well as in 

 Europe, the beech thrives in calcareous soils, or what is 

 usually termed limestone regions ; consequently, when 

 transplanted or raised in sandy soils, or on the red sand- 

 store formation, light applications of lime are usually 

 found very beneficial ; but more than all, the beech re- 

 quires moisture, and if not planted in a moist soil the 

 surface over the roots should be kept constantly covered 

 with some kind of mulch. 



