♦ AMERICAN SYLVICULTURE 



The seeds are usually planted late in spring after bird migration, 

 either broadcast on ground roughly raked, or more often on inter- 

 rupted beds from one to two feet wide, prepared with hoe and 

 slightly raised over the general ground level. It is said that a 

 man can plant one acre of ground in eight hours, using the rake. 

 Previous to planting it is wise to moisten the seeds for three to 

 five days in cold water, especially if the seeds are planted in late 

 spring. The cover should be one-fifth inch. Germination takes 

 place after four weeks with from six to eight cotyledons, serrate on 

 the upper side. Young plants are sensitive to drought and readily 

 raised by the frost. Spruce suffers from suppression by weeds and 

 leaves. Its height growth is more rapid than that of Fir. Prices 

 of seeds: Picea canadensis, $1.10; excelsa, 13 cents; engelmanni, 

 $5.50; rubens, ^.25; pungens, $5.00; sitkaensis, $5.50 per pound. 



C. Yellow Pines. 



On dry sandy soil, it is wise to plant in early spring, so as to 

 find a moist seed bed. The young seedlings do not suffer from 

 late frosts and are not apt to be lifted by winter frosts. The 

 removal of stumps stops the attacks of stump-breeding bark beetles 

 and snout beetles (weavils). Intensive loosening of the soil invites 

 the attacks of junebugs, wire worms, etc., and is not needed on 

 sandy soil. Broadcast seeding is advisable on soil slightly covered 

 with grass; the cover should just be scratched with the harrow. 

 The seed, unless planted with the rake, is embedded in the soil by 

 driving sheep, cattle and hogs over it. Before planting it might 

 be wise to fire the ground, notably so in the case of Jack Pine, 

 Lodgepole Pine and Norway Pine. Yellow Pine is never planted 

 in seedspots, since it comes up in larger groups, of even age. 

 Planted under shelter it would not obtain enough sunlight. Tlie 

 seeds are often planted on long strips two or three feet wide, 

 separated by trenches, the weeds and dirt removed from the 

 trenches being heaped on the strips. On the very driest soil, Jack 

 and Red Pine will do in the north; in the south. Long Leaf Pine. 

 The moisture demands of Pinus taeda exceed those of Pinus mitis. 

 Wet ground is required by Cuban Pine. Pinus ponderosa may grow 

 on anj' soil and aspect, north and south. European Pine should 

 not be tried in places where snowfall is heavy. The sand dunes 

 at San Francisco are planted in Monterey Pine. A method much 

 used abroad some 80 years ago was the planting of Pine cones 

 (eight bushels of cones per acre). The cones were turned from 

 time to time by a brush drag. Another old method for raising Pine 

 consisted in planting the seeds on top of oats, barley or summer rye. 



