760 HU8KIN(; AND rl,KAMNC; coMFKKorS SEEDS. 



stout iron pins, the ends of which are bent into hooks, and 

 inserted on two rollers, one of which is 8 to 10 inches larger 

 in diameter than the other. The cones are then torn instead 

 of being cut, and there is not so much refuse mixed with the 

 seed, and less seed is destroyed than by the machine with knives. 

 Much larch seed is exported regularly from the Tyrol. In 

 order to remove the seed, little water-wheels are suspended in 

 the rapid torrents, on the axles of wdiich are rapidly rotating 

 tin cylinders. The cones enclosed in these cylinders are violently 

 rubbed against one another, and the seed set free. In order to 

 remove the last few seeds from the cones, the latter are simply 

 pounded. One of the best stores for Tyrolese larch seed is that 

 of Jennewein, at Insbruck. 



[In P^ench Savoy and Dauphiuy, larch seed is collected by peasants 

 between December and February; during the prevalence of the con.- 

 paratively warm south wind, the cones drop their seeds on to cloths 

 spread under the trees on the snuw. This seed is said to germinate 

 much better than that purchased from seed-establishments. — 



BOPPE. ] 



The apparatus employed by Appel, at Darmstadt, which re- 

 sembles that used by the Tyrolese, consists of wooden drums, 

 which are driven by steam and made to rotate rapidly on their 

 axles. Their internal surface, as shown in fig. 338, is covered 

 with little sharp, i)rojecting cones, against which the larch cones 

 are rubbed, but the mutual friction between the cones is more 

 effective than the action of the internal surface of the drums. 



Apparatus worked by steam for opening larch cones is generally 

 based on a continual friction between their scales, and consequent 

 removal of the seed without injuring it. That used by Keller at 

 Darmstadt consists of a hollow wooden drum (fig. 339), which is 

 firmly fixed in a vertical position, and at its axis is an iron rod 

 provided with four arms a, which support four closely-toothed 

 iron rakes I), parallel to the internal surface of the drum. This 

 revolves rai)idly on its axle ;// //, larch cones sujiplied from above 

 are so thoroughly rubbed together and to a certain extent torn to 

 pieces, that they part with all their seed which collects at th<' 

 bottom of the drum, from which it is then removed. 



The sides of this drum are composed of plates of iron which 

 are not quite juxtaposed, finer refuse therefore escapes through 



