FOREST TREE SEED AND SEED COLLECTING 173 



not be buried in clay or other heavy soil that does not permit per- 

 fect drainage. Squirrels and other rodents are often very trouble- 

 some. Where there is danger from this source the seed should be 

 adequately protected. Occasional inspection is desirable. The 

 practice of storing the seeds of walnut, hickory, oak, and other nut 

 species in open boxes or bags in warehouses or cellars is condemned. 



Seeds which lie over until the second year, such as red cedar, 

 cucumber tree, holly, dogwood, and black gum, should be mixed 

 with sand and buried over two winters. As soon as they begin 

 to sprout, which is usually very early the second spring, they 

 should be removed and sown. When seed is stored in boxes or 

 other receptacles in alternate layers with moist sand it is said 

 to be stratified. After the receptacles are filled with the seed and 

 sand they are placed in a cool cellar or in pits dug in the ground. 

 This is an excellent method of storing small quantities of all 

 species that cannot be kept in dry storage. 



The seed is placed in layers from J to 1 inch deep, alternating 

 with layers of sand 2 or 3 inches deep. Care should be taken 

 that the sand is not wet; it should, however, be slightly moist. 

 Instead of alternating with layers of sand the seed can be mixed 

 with the sand in the proportion of 2 or 3 parts of sand to 1 of 

 seed. 



When a few seeds of a large number of species are stratified it is 

 best to place each variety in a fold of thin muslin to prevent 

 them from mixing. The folds of muslin are then arranged in 

 alternate layers with sand. 



Eastman 1 gives the following method for the storage and suc- 

 cessful germination of red cedar. It was practiced by him for 

 several years with uniform success. The fruit is gathered from 

 October to January and immediately stratified without previous 

 treatment such as soaking or the removal of the seed from the 

 fruit. It is placed in ordinary gardener's flats. A layer of 

 sand 1 inch in depth is put into the flat, then a layer of fruit 

 ^ inch in depth, this being repeated until the flats are filled. 

 They are then buried in the ground so that the tops are slightly 

 above the surface. Over them is placed about 8 inches of leaves 

 or other litter weighted down with stones. They are left undis- 

 turbed until a year from the following March when the seed 



1 Eastman, R. E.: Care of the seed of red cedar. (Forestry Quarterly, 

 vol. IX, pp. 173-174. 1911.) 



