90 Forests and Trees 



One of the chief difficulties in growing trees from seed is 

 the tendency to become shrubby. Being exposed to light 

 on all sides they branch from the ground, and the lower 

 branches do not die and drop off as they would do in the 

 woods. By having them somewhat crowded, and planting 

 rows of the slower growers alternately with rows of poplars 

 or willows, they will be shaded at the base and then grow 

 taller and with clearer trunks. 



The seed of conifers requires a different treatment. 

 They are usually sown in seed-beds of well-prepared soil 

 surrounded by a boxlike frame about ten inches high. It 

 is sown broadcast over the surface and only slightly covered. 

 It must then be kept moist and shaded in order to germinate. 

 After the young plants are started, they need to be kept 

 partially shaded. This is done by putting a covering 

 made of laths nailed to the frame, the spaces between 

 being about equal to the width of the lath. The seedlings 

 may be left in the frames one or two years, according to 

 the amount of growth made, and then pricked out in rows 

 as was done with the seedlings of deciduous trees. The 

 conifers need very much more care than the broad-leaved 

 trees, and it is not advisable for anyone without some ex- 

 perience to undertake to grow them. Care should be taken 

 that land on which conifers are to be raised should not 

 contain alkali. While the white spruce will apparently 

 stand a slightly alkaline soil, a very small trace of it will 

 kill pines. It would not be possible to make any single 

 general statement as to the kind of soil trees like best. 

 There are trees suited to every soil condition from the 



