72 WORCESTER COUNTY HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. [1899. 



coarse siftings of peat or sod, or any coarse material that will 

 allow the moisture to pass off. Then I make a compost of two 

 parts rotten sod, one of peat and one of sand, and fill the boxes 

 with the compost and press down firmly. Sow the seed evenly 

 and cover according to its size. On one corner of the box I 

 plane a place, rub over with white lead, and write the name of 

 the seed and date of sowing. This takes only an extra minute, 

 and is of much value afterwards. 



After sowing, the seed should have a sood waterins: to settle 

 the soil. The boxes can then be piled four or five deep in a 

 pit, or placed in a greenhouse. If in a pit, as soon as the boxes 

 are frozen, they should be covered with leaves to keep them so 

 until spring. If no [)it is available, they may be piled in a shel- 

 tered place and covered with leaves or other litter. In case of 

 the seeds which take one or two years to germinate, it will be 

 well to cover the boxes with boards, so that squirrels and mice 

 may not get at the seed. About April, put the boxes in frames 

 where they can get the morning sun, but not in a shady place. 

 Cover them with pine needles or sphagnum moss, which will 

 save a great amount of labor and waterino^. Winter the first 

 winter in a deep pit, slightly covered with leaves or meadow 

 hay. If no pit is available, three or four inches of pine needles 

 or leaves placed over them will keep them in good shape until 

 spring. But on no account should the boxes be left without 

 protection, as the young seedlings will sutler very much in so 

 little depth of soil. These boxes are from fourteen to sixteen 

 inches square and will hold from 100 to 200 plants, according 

 to their growth. The conifers, such as the Pine, Spruce, Larch, 

 Cedar and Hemlock, require more attention and care. It is al- 

 most impossible to grow many of the finer kinds in our New 

 England climate out-of-doors, although with care many of the 

 ordinary conifers can be grown out-of-doors. The seed may be 

 sown thinly, in rows or broadcast, about the 20th of May, slight- 

 ly covered, certainly not more than twice their own diameter. 

 If sown broadcast they should be lightly raked in and the bed 

 rolled with a light wooden roller. The beds should be covered 

 with screens to protect the young plants, partly from the sun 



