HOW TO CARE FOR FOREST TREE SEEDS 117 



jury in consequence of being kept moist they are actually 

 benefited by it. Repeated experiments show that fall plant- 

 ing of all these is preferable, and that germination is then 

 far greater than if they are allowed to become dry. As few 

 or none of these are liable to be destroyed by squirrels, 

 mice, or other animals, there is no inherent reason why 

 prompt sowing may not be followed. Only convenience, or 

 other extraneous reason, should prevent it. In such a case, 

 however, the seeds may be stratified in a box with moist 

 sand a layer of sand an inch or so in thickness and a 

 layer of seeds from one to two inches thick according to 

 size of seeds, alternating as the box is filled and placed 

 where they will not dry out nor be warm enough to induce 

 germination or decay. If the box is placed in the ground and 

 slightly covered with earth, but protected from water find- 

 ing its way into it, the seeds will keep all right, as freezing 

 will not injure them, but, on the other hand, will be bene- 

 ficial. 



The third class consists of the Hickories, Black Walnut, 

 Butternut, Beech, Cherry, Chestnut, and the Oaks. None 

 of these should be permitted to become at all dry. All should 

 be planted as soon as ripe, or at once stratified as indicated 

 for the second class, and they should be placed where they 

 will be subjected to as much freezing as they would be if 

 lying on the ground in the woods. It is not necessary to 

 remove the husk from the walnuts and butternuts, or the 

 pulp from the cherries, if planting is to be done as soon as 

 the seeds are ripe, although with the walnuts and butter- 

 nuts this, if desirable, may be done without injury in order 

 to reduce bulk ; and with the cherries in order to permit 

 sowing them with a seed drill. The husk of the hickory 

 nuts would best be removed, if Nature has not already 

 done it with these as she does with the chestnuts and beech- 

 nuts. All these would best be planted as soon as possible 

 after they fall from the tree, if there is no danger that 

 squirrels and other nut-eating animals will destroy them, 

 although it is claimed on very good authority that fall 



