Growing and Planting Hardwood Seedlings. 27 



those which are likely to lie over for a year are basswood, holly, 

 black locust, Kentucky coffeetree, and honey locust. If stored dry 

 and sown in the spring, a portion of the seed of some trees may 

 sprout the first year and an additional portion the following year. 

 Among these are hackberry, blue beech, ironwood, cucumber, black 

 walnut, beech, osage orange, black cherry, white ash, boxelder, 

 cucumber tree, yellow poplar, sycamore, and sugar maple. 



CARE OF SEED BEDS. 



WATERING. 



If water is available and can easily be applied, it is advisable to 

 keep the seed beds moist until the seeds sprout, and later to water 

 the seedlings when the beds become dry. It will usually be unneces- 

 sary to water seed sown in the fall. Such seed will absorb moisture 

 during the winter and with the coming of warm spring weather will 

 sprout quickly. Watering of the seedlings should be discontinued 

 after midsummer, in order that they may harden up properly before 

 the fall frosts. 



PROTECTION. 



Seed beds must, of course, be protected against live stock and 

 sometimes against field mice or other rodents. Two or three house 

 cats usually afford some protection against the latter, but sometimes 

 resort must be had to small traps. If birds become troublesome they 

 must be scared away or shot. 



SHADING. 



Seedlings of most hardwood trees will need no shade in the seed 

 beds; but those of the beech, birch, red gum, white ash, sugar maple, 

 slippery or red elm, hackberry, and mulberry, are likely to be damaged 

 b}^ intense sunlight, and, when this appears to be the case, should be 

 supplied with partial shade. A covering of brush or tree branches in 

 leaf will usually be sufficient. If this is lacking, shade frames of 

 some kind that will cut off about half of the sunlight from the seedlings 

 should be constructed. Some nurserymen use shade frames made, by 

 nailing lath spaced about 1J inches apart on a rectangular frame. 

 The growing of such seedlings under somewhat open woods should 

 prove successful. 



WEEDING AND CULTIVATION. 



The beds should be weeded and cultivated several times during 

 the growing season. Horse cultivation may be practiced where the 

 rows are spaced widely. In beds seeded broadcast cultivation is, of 

 course, impracticable, 



REMOVING SEEDLINGS FROM SEED BEDS. 



Hardwood seedlings 10 inches or more in height are large enough 

 for field planting. Most of them reach this size in one growing 



