136 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



be considered fairly good ; but in parts of France, I believe, 

 seventy-five per cent, is required. 



Too thick sowing is a cause of loss, as young trees die 

 under such circumstances ; they do not seem to be able to 

 secure enough food for all. 



Thin sowing on fresh ground, well prepared, should be 

 the rule to follow ; and the word ' ' thin " means not too 

 crowded. 



Where a proprietor or private forester with small prac- 

 tical experience establishes a nursery, broadcast sowing of 

 the seed is not advised ; but trained nurserymen often find 

 this the better way. 



Beds of a])out one yard wide are probably best, as greater 

 width would be less convenient for sowing, weeding, etc. ; 

 and all sowing and care of the beds should be done from the 

 sides only. 



When the beds are formed, stretch lines lengthwise of 

 them six inches apart, then with a forked stick or iron hav- 

 ing its ends rather sharp, with about two inches between 

 them, draw it along the lines, which will bring the rows of 

 seeds two inches apart. 



The seeds are to be dropped one inch apart in the rows 

 and covered lightly with a rake ; thus the young plants have 

 plenty of room and light. 



The time for sowing in spring is, as a rule, as early as 

 the ground and season will permit of good treatment. 



This subject should not be concluded in this brief lecture 

 without reference to forest fires, and there is no part of for- 

 estry which is more vital to its success than the prevention 

 and control of forest fires. They can do every year a vast 

 amount of injury, not only to standing wood and young 

 trees, but to fences, buildings, cord-wood, lumber-piles, etc. 

 But one of their greatest and long-lasting injuries is the 

 damage to the ground itself by burning up the vegetable 

 mould, so that no trees can asain be made to o:row there un- 

 til this shall in some way be restored by deca3^ed vegetable 

 matter in some form, possibly from the leaves which, in a 

 period of many years, fall from bashes and other low- 

 stunted growth. 



Among the causes of forest fires are clearing lands, burn- 



