THE CHESTKUT. 67 



a number of small holes through the bottom, and over 

 each of these lay a piece of a broken flower-pot, brick 

 or stone, then cover the bottom one inch deep with the 

 moist sand, and on this place a single layer of nuts, then 

 fill in all interstices with sand, and also use enough more 

 to fairly cover the layer ; and proceed in this way until 

 all the nuts are disposed of or the box is full, covering 

 the top layer one or two inches deep, because the sand 

 will settle some after the work seems complete. The 

 boxes may be covered with fine wire netting or with nar- 

 row strips of boards, fitting these so that mice cannot 

 get in, but should not be air-tight. They may then be 

 buried in the open ground, selecting some knoll or dry 

 spot for this purpose, for the nuts should not be placed 

 where they will be submerged, or even be watersoaked, 

 at any time during the fall, winter or early spring. If 

 no such spot is conveniently near, then set the boxes on 

 the top of the ground, and on the north side of some 

 building or in the shade of an evergreen tree, and bank 

 over with soil, covering the boxes a foot deep. If the 

 spot selected is under the eaves of a building, place 

 boards over the heap of soil, to carry off the water, for 

 the object is to keep the nuts moderately moist, cool, 

 and where they will not be subjected to frequent changes 

 of temperature. In our Northern States the nuts, 

 under such conditions, usually become frozen during 

 the coldest weather, but this does not injure them if the 

 sand is moist and they remain frozen, as there will be no 

 danger of germination ; while if kept too warm, they 

 may start to grow before the seedbed is ready, in spring, 

 for their reception. I have tried keeping the nuts 

 mixed with sand in a cool cellar, also in outbuildings, 

 but have not found any other place so certain as pits in 

 the open ground. 



Seedbed and Soil. It is well to have the seedbed 

 prepared the previous autumn, but it is not absolutely 



