lOO HOW TO GROW A FOREST FROM SEED 



It is claimed that the pine has a full crop only about once 

 in seven years, but the crop varies with the seasons and more 

 or less seed can be had at much shorter intervals. It often 

 happens that a few miles away, or in another section of the 

 same state, seed can be gathered, while in the immediate 

 neighborhood there are no cones. In this way seeds can 

 generally be found somewhere nearly every season. 



2. Purchasing seed from dealers. 



There are only a few firms that deal in tree seeds in this 

 country. Thomas Meehan & Sons, Deshertown, Pa., and 

 D. Hill, Dundee, 111., are two responsible firms. If only a 

 small quantity is wanted send for their price-list. If purchas- 

 ing in quantities write for quotations on the amount desired. 

 White pine seed usually costs two dollars a pound, unless a 

 quantity of ten pounds or more is desired, when it may be 

 procured at about one dollar and a half a pound. There are 

 about twenty thousand pine seeds in a pound. It is a good 

 idea to test their germinating qualities before planting, in 

 order to know about the quantity of seed to use. It is claimed 

 pine seed will keep for at least five years with fair percentage 

 of germination if well cared for. 



II. CULTURE. 



{a) Soil and location. 



While, as observations well show, white pine will adapt 

 itself to most soils where it is indigenous (native) it will be 

 found that certain soils and locations will give much quicker 

 results than others. Favorable conditions are, in general, 

 a suitable soil, moderately warm and moist but not wet, and 

 so located as not to dry out too quickly and having natural or 

 artificial protection from the sun and wind at least part of the 

 day during the earlier stages of the plant's development. As 

 with other farm crops, the better the seedbed the greater the 

 chances for success. Some trees, like the pines and gray 

 birches, will grow on a very poor soil like pure sand, if they 

 are assisted in getting a foothold, while other trees, like the 

 oak and walnut, demand a more substantial subsistence. 

 Most soils, therefore, may be adapted to forest growths by a 



