RAISING TREES FROM SEED 



seeds such as those of birch, elm, catalpa and 

 maples, should be spaced about two inches 

 apart in the row so that the seedlings will 

 not require thinning. A day when there is no 

 wind should be chosen for sowing > these seeds, 

 or many will be blown away and the sower's 

 patience be sorely tried. After sowing cover 

 the seeds lightly about twice their own depth, 

 pressing down the earth firmly with the back 

 of the hoe; sprinkle the bed, and scatter over 

 it a covering of any kind of chaff which will 

 preserve the moisture in the soil for some time; 

 when watering is necessary, the chaff serves 

 as a filter, and also as a preventive against 

 washing the little seeds out of the soil. A 

 very fine spray should always be used for 

 watering tree seeds. When the seedlings 

 appear the chaff should be removed. The 

 bed must be kept carefully weeded and gently 

 cultivated between the rows, particularly in 

 dry weather, and during the first winter it 

 should be protected with a covering of leaves 

 about a foot in depth. 



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