Collecting and Storing Tree Seeds 13 



Oak. The acorns may be gathered or swept from the 

 ground in November, and either sown at once or stored 

 away in a cool, dry place till Spring. One acorn to every 

 4 square in. will be ample in the seed bed. Sow in spring 

 or autumn. 



Scotch Fir cones are better not collected till early in 

 January, and the time may even be extended till March. 

 When quite ripe they have changed from bluish-green to 

 a light, grey colour. As the cones part tardily with the 

 seeds, artificial means have to be resorted to, the cones 

 being placed thinly over a kiln heated to a temperature of 

 from 75 to 112. They should be turned every third 

 hour, and after about thirty hours the kiln should be cooled 

 down and the cones extracted as quickly as possible. By 

 beating with a flail the seeds are readily removed from the 

 cones, but it is best to do this before the cones have cooled 

 down or immediately they are removed from the kiln. The 

 seeds are then swept together and collected, and stored 

 away until wanted for sowing. When not required for 

 sowing at once, the seeds should be thinly spread out on 

 the floor and slightly moistened with water from a fine rose 

 watering-can. They should then be turned about until 

 perfectly dry before being stored away. 



Silver Fir seed does not require much, if any, artificial 

 heat to cause it to part from the cone. By placing the 

 cones in the sunshine, and heating and turning freely, the 

 seeds come out without much trouble. In all cases, how- 

 ever, wherever possible, it is wise policy to dispense with 

 artificial heat or kiln-drying as, unless this is carried out 

 most carefully, the vitality of the seeds is greatly impaired 

 thereby. 



Sycamore seeds are ready for gathering in October, but 

 should not be sown till the end of March or beginning of 

 April. 



Walnuts are collected, when ripe, in autumn, and sown 

 in late spring. 



Yew seeds are usually washed of the pulpy matter before 

 being sown. 



In the case of large seeds, such as those of Araucaria 



