FOREST TREE SEED AND SEED COLLECTING 141 



ash. Under particularly favorable conditions the fruit of the 

 above trees can be collected from the ground or from a water 

 surface; nearly always, however, reliance must be placed upon 

 collecting it from the trees. 



Species bearing small seeds which fall to the ground after ma- 

 turity through the opening of the fruit while still on the .tree are 

 illustrated in the cucumber tree and witch hazel. 



Nearly all species which cast their seed while the fruit is still 

 attached to the tree are wind disseminated. The seed has special 

 structures which facilitate its being carried by the wind greater 

 or less distances from the parent tree. A great number of our 

 economic species belong to this class. The seed is often scattered 

 a few days after maturity. In all cases it is necesssary to gather 

 the fruit before it begins to open. The seed of nearly all coni- 

 fers with the exception of the junipers is wind disseminated. 

 Among broadleaved species the seeds of willows, poplars, red gum, 

 and catalpa are disseminated in like manner. 



The labor involved in collecting seed from the tree varies greatly 

 with the species, the fullness of the crop, the size, form, and height 

 of the tree, and the experience of the collector. It also depends 

 upon whether the trees are climbed or whether the seed is collected 

 from felled trees following lumbering operations. When the trees 

 are climbed and the fruit dislodged by hand, low-branched, limby 

 trees are easier, safer, and less expensive to collect from. 



The fruit is usually borne in greatest abundance at the top of 

 the crown and at the ends of the side branches. In gathering, it 

 is usually advisable to permit the dislodged fruit to fall directly 

 to the ground without attempting to deposit it in baskets or 

 sacks while in the tree. When the fruit is small as in black 

 cherry, hemlock, and hackberry, a canvas should be spread under 

 the tree to catch it as it falls and thus facilitate economic gath- 

 ering and sacking. 



In order to reach the fruit safely and dislodge it the climber 

 must be equipped with climbing irons and ropes, particularly 

 when large trees are climbed. He must also have implements 

 which will reach the outermost ends of the branches from his 

 position in the interior of the crown and detach the fruit from 

 the tree. Various types of pruning hooks and specially devised 

 tools have been used for this purpose. An ordinary garden rake 

 with iron teeth serves very well for breaking off and dislodging 



