The plants will begin to appear in from three to five weeks. Like 

 other conifers, they will require partial shade during the first season, 

 but subsequently can endure full sunlight, especially in New Eng- 

 land. A shade frame of lath supported 18 inches above *the bed will 

 serve the purpose. 



One pound of white-pine seed is sufficient to sow 500 linear feet of 

 seed drill, or about 200 square feet of seed beds, with drills 6 inches 

 apart. Even with proper care some seed may fail to germinate 

 promptly, but about 10,000 plants may be expected for every pound 

 of fertile seed sown. White-pine seed retains its vitality for several 

 years, and when kept in cold, dry storage a fair percentage has 

 been known to germinate after five years. Fresh seed, however, is 

 always to be preferred. 



Two years after sowing, the seedlings should be transplanted in the 

 spring from the seed beds to nursery rows, in order to develop a 

 good, fibrous root system. They may be set out 3 inches apart, in 

 rows from 12 to 18 inches apart. The roots should be set slightly 

 deeper than they were before. The best method of transplanting is 

 to open a shallow trench of the proper depth with a spade and set 

 the plants by hand, carefully covering the roots of each plant with 

 fine soil and gently firming it. Transplants, if thoroughly cultivated 

 and weeded, will be ready for final planting at the beginning of the 

 fourth season. At this age they should be 6 to 9 inches in height 

 and have a well-developed system of fibrous roots. 



In the early years of the white pine a very injurious fungus must 

 be guarded against. If the soil becomes soaked, or sufficient light and 

 air are withheld, ideal conditions for the action of the fungus exist, 

 and the usual result is the " damping off " of large numbers of the 

 young trees. In shaded seed beds, when the quantity of rain is suffi- 

 cient to endanger the young trees, the " damping off " may be 

 checked by so raising one side of the shade frame that it acts as a 

 partial roof. Dry sand sprinkled over the seed bed will usually 

 tend to hold the fungus in check. 



Birds and field mice are often very troublesome around coniferous 

 seed beds. If danger from such sources is expected, the seed may be 

 coated with red lead mixed with linseed oil before sowing. This is 

 distasteful to most birds and rodents and is usually quite effective. 

 Another method is to protect the beds by netting and similar devices 

 until the seedlings are sufficiently developed to be free from danger. 



PLANTING. 



White-pine seedlings should be planted on the permanent site in 

 the early spring when the ground is dry enough to work. In most 

 cases the site will not need preparation previous to planting. 



[Cir. 67] 



