166 LOBLOLLY OK NORTH CAROLINA PINE. 



tentative method of cutting, that will result in larger yields than clean 

 cutting, is not thinning. It has the effect of freeing the smaller trees 

 which on certain sites are stimulated into accelerated growth, but the 

 ultimate results are very different from those obtained by thinning. 

 Under gradual felling the merchantable trees are removed while yet of 

 medium diameter in order to obtain early cuttings. The object of thin- 

 nings is to obtain timber of large diameters; the removal of the main 

 stand consequently is deferred. 



ARTIFICIAL RESTOCKING. 



Gathering of Seed. 



Seed should be collected in September or early in October before 

 heavy frosts have opened the cones. (Plate II.) The cones are fre- 

 quently still green in September but if the seed are firm they will germi- 

 nate. Cones can be secured from trees which are being cut where lum- 

 bering is in progress, and should be taken from dominant, thrifty, mid- 

 dle-aged, or older trees rather than from young trees or from codominant 

 or suppressed ones, since not only is the percentage of sound seed higher 

 from such trees but it is genetically undesirable that the specimens of 

 poorest growth should be the source of seed. Not less than 50 per cent 

 of fresh seed from such trees should be germinable. The cones after 

 sunning until they begin to open should be placed in sacks or loose 

 barrels in a dry but well ventilated building until they are fully 

 open, when the seed can be flailed out. To prevent the seed from 

 mildewing, the sacks or barrels should be occasionally turned, or the 

 cones can be stored in shallow trays with bottoms of slats or wire net- 

 ting, the trays being on racks in an airy chamber so as to secure ven- 

 tilation. 



The seed are flattened, about ^ inch long, nearly black, and are 

 attached to a shining brown wing % inch long. There are about 20,000 

 cleaned seed to a pound. The price per pound usually varies from $1.50 

 when bought directly from collectors, to $2.50 if bought from dealers. 

 The collection of seed should be profitable. It is estimated that two 

 bushels of unopened cones will yield a pound of seed. 



Seedbeds. 



Seedbeds should be prepared in fertile, loamy, or mellow soil, prefer- 

 ably on a rather moist site. The soil is best prepared by cultivating 

 several times during the year preceding planting. The weed seed can 

 be killed by burning the soil as is done in preparing tobacco beds. Beds 

 are usually made 4 or 5 feet wide, the rows being located across the 

 bed. The seed should be planted in February or March, or, near the 

 coast, early in autumn, about 14 inch deep in thin rows about 8 inches 



