PRACTICAL FORESTRY. 



Seed may, however, be considered good if the germinating 

 test gives, say, 70 per cent. 



The quantity of seed to be sown on a given area will 

 depend mainly on the quality and particular species. 



When sown broadcast, about a pound weight of larch, 

 and full half-a-pound of Scotch, is allowed per 100 square 

 feet of seed-bed. 



Generally, however, drill sowing is resorted to, and in 

 this case the following may be considered as about an 

 average of the quantity used per 100 square feet : 



Alder 7f ozs. 



Ash 5 



Austrian Pine 4J ,, 



Birch 6J 



Elm 3| 



Hornbeam 2f ,, 



Larch 7| ,, 



Maple 5 ,, 



Scotch fir ... 2f 



Silver 13 



Spruce >, 3J 



Sometimes a small quantity of guano or other manure is 

 sprinkled over the seeds, after which they are gently pressed 

 down with a light roller, and the soil, which was tem- 

 porarily deposited along the margin of the bed, replaced by 

 the " cufftng-board " or riddle. When seeds are sown early, 

 and with care, on well-prepared ground, watering is seldom 

 necessary ; but still, with small seeds and in very dry ground, 

 an occasional sprinkling the last thing at night is highly 

 oeneficial. Great care is, however, necessary to insure the 

 soil bsiug thoroughly moistened. Protection from mice and 

 birds must be afforded such as by coating the seeds with red 

 lead ; and an occasional shading of the bed in very warm 

 weather might be advocated. There are not a few kinds of 

 seeds, such as those with a hard covering, that it is almost 

 imperative to steep in water before sowing. Larch seed, in 

 particular, can be soaked for a week without Tear of harm, 

 and many leguminous seeds for two or three days with, 



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