DEPARTMENT OF LANDS AND FORESTS FOR 1931 



147 



They consist of the following species and quantities : 



Seed on hand: 



Amount 

 Species in Bushels 



Butternut 7 



Hard Maple 3 



Walnut 725 



Total 735 



(c) Seed Beds. 



During the year a total of 1,071 coniferous seed beds were sown, 245 beds 

 in the spring and 826 beds in the fall. In addition 1,051 bushels of hardwood 

 seed were sown. 



Spring sowing of coniferous beds: 



The spring-sown red pine beds were entirely experimental. While the 

 results served to confirm the observations of last year they also brought out the 

 fact that there is an optimum period for spring planting. The number (average) 

 of seedlings per bed increased constantly from the earliest sowings to that of 

 May 16th, when the maximum number of seedlings per bed was obtained. The 

 next sowing made on May 27th showed a decrease of more than 66 per cent, 

 from that of May 16th. 



In general, however, the observations of previous years were borne out, 

 i.e., that fall-sown red pine seed beds are superior in every way to spring-sown 

 beds at this nursery. As drought and temperature conditions were entirely 

 abnormal last year, however, a small number of beds have been laid out for a 

 continuance of these observations during the next year. 



Fall sowing of coniferous beds: 



