EEFOEESTATION IN MASSACHUSETTS, 



THE FOREST NUESERY. 



One of the first things in nursery work is the procuring of 

 the seed. In most cases our native trees furnish this in great 

 abundance, though in some years the seed crop is much more 

 heavy than in others, due to climatic conditions. Practically 

 all of the seeds referred to may be easily gathered in almost 

 any locality throughout the State. 



Procuring the Seed. 



The white pine (Pinus strobus), our native pine, bears its 

 seed in the cones or burrs, which generally grow in clusters of 

 twos or threes on the upper branches of the tree. Many per- 

 sons wonder why it is that they cannot find the seed in the 

 opened cones picked up in any pine grove ; in fact, a number of 

 cases have been known where persons have planted the cones 

 which have fallen to the ground in late fall or winter, the 

 scales open and the seed escaped, and expected to obtain a crop 

 of trees. The seed is located two under each scale of the cone, 

 and is about the size of a raisin seed, being provided with a 

 small, bee-like wing, which favors its distribution by the wind. 

 The cones commence to turn brown in this section about the 

 middle of August, and from then on ripen very rapidly, one 

 or two sunny days drying the scales so that they open and set 

 the seeds at liberty. The cones must therefore be picked while 

 green, before the scales have opened, by climbing the tree and 

 picking by hand or with pruning shears. Sometimes a person 

 may be fortunate enough to find a large number where the trees 

 are being cut for lumber, they are then readily picked into 

 baskets. The squirrels also at times cut off large numbers of 

 cones, which fall to the ground and can be gathered up, care 



