'TNG TBEB SEEDS. 



'ous commonly culti- 



19,400 

 000 



CHAPTEK IV. 



COLLECTING AND HARVESTING TEEE SEEDS. 



FAR too little attention is usually bestowed on the collect- 

 ing and harvesting of the seeds of trees and shrubs, the 

 result, in not a few cases, being weak and unhealthy plants 

 and an uneven and irregular crop. The best seeds, it should 

 be remembered, are those collected from healthy trees in the 

 prime of life, and grown under conditions favourable to 

 their perfect development. An unhealthy tree will often 

 bear a heavy crop of seed, but, although the inducements 

 to collect such are great, they should be discarded, those 

 from the most robust specimens being chosen in preference 



Regarding the best way of collecting tree seeds little need 

 be said, the exigency of the case pointing out the best 

 method to be adopted. The seeds of not a few trees maybe 

 collected as they fall, and this is especially the case with 

 those of the oak, beech, elm, etc., all of which may be swept 

 into heaps and gathered in quantity from beneath desirable 

 trees. In the case of the various Coniferae this method of 

 seed-collecting will not answer indeed, in the majority of 

 instances, these should be gathered, or rather picked, from 

 the trees just before they become fully ripe, as in falling the 

 seeds get loose from the cone-scales and are lost. When 

 collecting the cones of coniferous trees, a long, light ladder 

 should be brought into request, and the climber, ascending 

 this, with a light, hooked staff with which to draw the 

 branches towards him can readily procure an abundant 

 supply. A bag or satchel should also be in the possession 

 of the seed-collector, and into this may be put such kinds of 



21 



