552 HAKVESTIXC FRUITS AND SHEDS OF FOREST TREES 



the ^n-ound in Octolier is stfiile. Spruce-cones ripen at the 

 bc;,Mnnin^' of October, but the seed, as a rule, only falls in the 

 spring,' (lurin<^' the prevalence of dry winds. Nobbe states that 

 the f^reenish coloured cones of the so-called irhite Hprurc yield 

 better seed than the reddish-brown cones of the red apruve. 

 Silver-fir cones ripen in September or the beginninfj of October, 

 iind the seeds fall forthwith. The openinfjj of the topmost 

 scales of the cones is a si<,ai of impending seed-fall. Larch-cones 

 ripen in October, remaininfj closed till the spring and opening 

 very gradually ; the seeds are disseminated very irregularly and 

 over a long period. Cones of the Scotch, black, maritime and 

 Cembran pines ripen at the end of October during their second 

 year on the trees. They remain closed on the trees till March 

 or April of the third year. Cones of the Weymouth-pine also 

 ripen in the autumn of the second year, but frequently open late 

 in the autumn of that year. 



3. Methods of Collectiiui Seed. 



Seed should evidently be collected only when perfectly ripe, 

 for seed gathered when unripe never germinates well and loses 

 the power of germination much sooner than fully ripe seed. 

 The urgency of the collection of th.e seed depends on whether it 

 falls as soon as it is ripe, or remains hanging on the tree for some 

 time after this event. Thus, for instance, the seed of silver-fir, 

 sycamore and other maples, elms, birch, Weymouth-pine, itc, 

 should be collected as soon as it is ripe (Silver-fir cones are 

 even gathered shortly before ripening), whilst pine-cones, alder 

 catkins and ash-samaras may be gathered at any time during 

 winter, the best months for harvesting larch-seed being March 

 and A])ril. Seotch pine and larch cones which have remained 

 closed during the winter are much more easily opened if collected 

 only ill the spring. Whilst for these species there is no danger 

 of the cones opening and the seed becoming scattered before dry 

 spring weather has set in, this danger may be feared for spruce 

 cones, which open much more readily, and their timely collection 

 is therefore advisalde. It is obvious that no seed should be 

 collected until the sterile and grub-eaten fruits have fallen and 

 have been eaten, if possible, by pigs or sheep. This is 



