HOW TO GROW A FOREST FROM SEED 



BY F. WM. RANK, 



Professor of Horticulture and Forestry, New Hampshire College. 



The question of how to utilize the unproductive and waste 

 lands throughout New England should be solved in one of 

 two ways. They should receive such care and attention that 

 they could be classified as crop or farm lands adapted to prac- 

 tical and successful agriculture, or they should be set aside 

 for wood or forest growth. 



The forest should be considered as an actual field crop, and 

 a knowledge of its culture and handling is highly essential. 

 When the wood is harvested the crop should be renewed 

 immediately, so that the land may be kept in constant use. 



I. WHERE AND HOW TO OBTAIN SEED? 



A large number of inquiries are coming to the writer asking 

 for information, especiallv concerning white pine seeds. The 

 following is given with the belief that others may make use 

 of the information : 



1. Collect your own seed. 



The simplest, best, and most interesting method is to collect 

 your own seed. Find out when the seeds are ripe and the 

 best time and method of getting them ; then give them the 

 proper care, and plant when conditions are favorable. 



To illustrate, let us take the white pine. This tree ripens 

 its seed in this climate, usually, early in September. One can 

 readily tell whether there is a crop of seeds from the number 

 of cones that have grown on the tree during the year. These 

 pine cones contain the seeds of the pine. They should be 

 collected before the cones have so far advanced as to open and 



