136 



HARDY CONIFEROUS TREES. 



through the ground surface, and any indiscretion in the way of 

 shading or watering at that point of culture usually proves 

 disastrous. Keeping the surface rather dry than otherwise 

 is, however, to be recommended. A free current of air may 

 be admitted after the seedlings are well through the ground ; 

 and in two years after germination they may either be pricked 

 out in the open border, in pans or boxes, or potted singly. 

 With such hardy, free-growing conifers as the larch, spruce, 

 silver fir, Scotch and Corsican pines, the seeds should be sown 

 in vvell prepared beds of light, free soil out of doors. The 

 seed-beds may be 4 feet wide, and the soil rendered light and 

 free if necessary, the covering to be proportionate to the size 

 of the seed. Branches of spruce fir laid over the beds are 

 useful as guards against excessive sunshine and the depreda- 

 tions of birds. 



The following table will show at a glance the approximate 

 and relative number of seeds contained in i lb. weight of 

 each of the following species : 



