DIRECT SOWING 137 



The sowing of acorns, even on rather rank land, is often 

 successful, and so also is the sowing of the seed of Spanish 

 Chestnut and Walnut, for these species have very large 

 seed, with a large store of food material, and the seedlings 

 possess great energy, and it is very probable that the best 

 grown trees of these species will prove to be those that have 

 been sown in situ. However, any direct sowing on foul 

 grass land is almost sure to end in failure. If the land be 

 clean, acorns may be either dibbled in, or sown broadcast 

 and ploughed in with a light furrow. If the land be at 

 all foul, it must be ploughed and cleaned, and then the 

 acorns should be dibbled in lines 2 feet apart each 

 way, and the acorns should be 6 inches apart in the 

 lines. 



Heather land may easily be sown with the seeds of 

 Scots Pine or Corsican Pine, provided that the heather be 

 not too rank and be not mixed with much bracken, brambles, 

 etc. Sometimes it will be preferable to burn the surface 

 and sow the seed a year afterwards ; a small amount of 

 heather gives very beneficial protection. 



On hillsides it will often be advisable to turn a furrow 

 horizontally along the hill, about every 15 inches apart, 

 and sow the seed along the furrow, lightly raking it in and 

 firming the ground. 



The seed may be sown at the end of April, if a seed-bed 

 be thus prepared. But, if it be sown broadcast, it should 

 be sown much earlier, so as to let heavy rains wash the seed 

 into the soil through the heather. A good fall of snow will 

 effect the same purpose. 



Wherever seed are sown in lines on land that is at all 

 foul or likely to become foul, it will often be advisable, in 

 order to save expenses in connection with the cleaning of the 

 young crop, to have the lines far apart, say 5 or 6 feet, and 

 to sow the seed very close together in the lines. By this 

 means the cost of hoeing and cleaning will be very much 

 reduced. 



The seed in the lines may advisedly be sown in 3 parallel 

 rows about 3^ to 4 inches apart from each other. Then 



