It decays rapidly in contact with the soil, but can be easily and 

 cheaply made much more durable by impregnation with antiseptic 

 materials. 



PLAN T ATIOX S . 



Plantations can be started either from nursery-grown stock or by 

 direct seeding, the desirability of the method depending upon the 

 character of the land. The use of seedlings is recommended only on 

 land which is very foul, in which case planting will probably be more 

 successful than direct sowing. If a large number of plants are to be 

 used, it is cheaper to raise them, but if only a few hundred are needed 

 they probably can be purchased as cheaply from a dealer. Stock, if 

 purchased, should be secured a week or more before planting time, 

 and should be inspected at once to ascertain if it has become heated. 

 The roots should be puddled by dipping in thick mud, and the trees 

 temporarily heeled in by planting in a shady place in a trench, one 

 side of which slopes so that the tops of the trees lie toward the south. 



For raising seedlings the seed can be purchased or collected. A 

 pound contains about 20,000 seed, enough to plant 300 feet of drill. 

 About 30 per cent of fresh seed will germinate ; the percentage is 

 smaller for old seed. Seed should be planted early in the spring 

 before the earth gets warm ; in the extreme South, if the seed bed is 

 protected from mice, the planting may be done early in the autumn. 

 Seed beds should be on loose, loamy, moist soil. The beds should be 

 about 10 feet long and 4 feet wide, and the drills 8 inches apart to give 

 room for weeding. Seed should be covered about one-half inch with 

 fine earth, Avhich should be lightly rolled or "firmed." The bed may 

 be liberally watered before the seed germinates, but young plants 

 should not be excessively watered for several weeks on account of 

 the danger of damping off. A partial shade of slats 18 inches above 

 the bed is desirable during the first summer, particularly on dry soils. 

 Most of the seed will germinate in two or three weeks, but some of 

 the autumn-planted seed will lie over until the following spring. 

 Seedlings are subject to few diseases. 



Seeds should be collected as soon as the cones are ripe, in September 

 or October. The maturity of the cones can be determined by cutting 

 into several of them to ascertain if the seed is firm. Cones should 

 then be gathered and dried either in the sun or in kilns at a low tem- 

 perature. The heat causes them to open, upon which the seed will 

 fall out or can be shaken out. Seed can be stored through the winter 

 in a dry, cool place. 



One-year-old seedlings, which should be from 6 to 12 inches high, 

 are large enough to plant; or if the seed is planted in the autumn 

 the second spring will be the time for the permanent planting. 

 Seed for direct planting and for the seed bed should be coated with 



[Cir. 183] 



