366 NOTES UN BRITISH FOREST TREES. 



method in Britain. No shelter is required hy the young 

 plants. On the Continent it is much sown in situ. 



The seed ripens in Octoher of the second year, l)ut does 

 not fall until the following spring, so that in autumn three 

 kinds of cones may be seen on the trees, namely, six months 

 old unripe cones, 18 months old just ripe, and empty cones 

 of the previous crop. The germinating power is maintained 

 for 2 or B years. Of good seed not less than 70 per cent, 

 should germinate. One pound of clean seed contains about 

 75,000 grains. 



J)irect sowings should be made in spring, the seeds being 

 covered by about half an inch of earth. About six pounds of 

 seed are required per acre for broadcast sowing ; it germinates 

 after 3 or 4 weeks. 



Sowings in nurseries are mostly made broadcast, sometimes 

 in drills. Jiritish nurserymen sow broadcast about "G pound 

 of seed per 100 square feet of seed-bed. The seedlings may 

 be pricked out when one or two years old. In Britain 

 seedling plants are now i-arely put out into the forest ; 

 transplants are used which may have stood one or two 

 years in the nursery lines ; older plants are rarely used. 

 On the Continent seedlings are frequently put out directly 

 into the forest. In ]3ritain notching is the usual method of 

 planting, but peg and pit plantings are also done; the 

 plants should be placed 3 feet apart, on fertile soils perhaps 

 3 feet inches. 



In the case of natural i-egeneration niuler an open shelter- 

 wood, only a limited number of trees per acre, not more than 

 30, should be left, and these should be removed two or three 

 years after the seeding has taken place ; if tbe area has not 

 been naturally stocked, sowing or planting should be done. 

 If the seed is to come from adjoining woods, the cleared area 

 should no! l)e broader than about the height of the trees, 

 and must l)c so situated that the seed is blown on to it. If 

 regeneration does not occur wilbin two or tliree years, sowing 

 or plantiii;; iiiu^-t ))(• dune. 



