PEOPAGATION OF TREES AND SHRUBS FROM SEED. 165 



He doubted, however, whether growing 3'oung seedlings would be 

 A'er^' pi'ofitable here ; they are raised verj- cheaply in Europe and 

 the West, and are not in demand here. The essayist calls his 

 method simple, but it appears difficult, as if more was required 

 than Nature requires, yet it is not so. Nature sows the seed in the 

 fall, covers it with leaves, and it is frozen and thawed. Nature 

 provides lavishly of seed, and can afford to do so, for a single tree 

 will sometimes produce millions of seeds. 



The essaj'ist had given directions how to induce seeds to vege- 

 tate the first season. The speaker, after subjecting seeds to the 

 action of frost, had put them in a gentle hot-bed, treading the 

 manure down well ; and this not only induced many to vegetate 

 which would not otherwise have done so, but caused a prodigious 

 growth, — double and quadruple the size of the seedlings imported. 

 This method induces the roots to strike down. He had witnessed 

 Mr. Dawson's method of sowing in boxes, and he gets admirable 

 results for his purpose, which is largely to raise stocks for graft- 

 ing ; it is the way for that. The speaker agreed with Mr. Bow- 

 ditch, that planting out-doors, where the trees are to remain, is 

 the most economical way. Mr. Dawson is very successful, but it 

 is because it is Mr. Dawson who watches over the work. But 

 Nature is a good school-master as well as Mr. Dawson. The 

 speaker could not understand why Nature has placed oil}' matter 

 around magnolia seeds, which it is necessary' to wash away, but he 

 never saw a magnolia seed vegetate with the pulp around it. 



Mr. Bowditch remarked that it is ver}- important to plant oak, 

 beech, and chestnut seeds when fresh, and not allow them to become 

 dry. 



Col. Henr}^ "W. Wilson had been much interested in Mr. Daw- 

 son's paper, which he thought well adapted to the wants of members 

 of the Society who desired to grow a few trees and be sure of 

 having them genuine. Mr. Dawson's method is best ; it gives the 

 conditions of Nature. Those who grow seedlings in large quanti- 

 ties are often negligent, and their stock cannot always be relied on. 

 He had been disappointed, after planting and tending trees two or 

 three years, to find that the}' were not what he bought them for. 

 Magnolia conspicua turned out to be M. acuminata. The walnut 

 and chestnut vary greatly in size and quality, and he hoped that at 

 some time Mr. Dawson would tell us how to have them of large 

 size and fine quality, and the walnuts with thin shells. He would 



