PROPAGATION OF PLANTS. 135 



lightly rooted plants during dry weather. It is also well to have 

 lath screens to protect delicate plants from the hot sun. If in 

 the fall we begin with the oaks, as the acorns do not long retain 

 their vitality (neither does chinkapin, chestnut, nor beech), to insure 

 success these should be put in boxes of earth or sand as soon as 

 gathered. If scattered broadcast the nuts should be scattered thinly 

 over the bed and pressed down with the back of a spade or a light 

 wooden roller and covered a little more than the diameter of the 

 seed which should be over an inch for the beech and oak and two 

 or more inches for the hickory. Some prefer making shallow drills 

 with the plough and sowing thickly. The maples with the exception 

 of Acer rubrum and A. dasycarpum (these ripen in June), should be 

 sown as soon as possible after gathering, otherwise they will not come 

 up until the second year. The ash also must be sown as soon as 

 gathered or it will not come up until the second year. Carpinus 

 Austria, Cornus florida, Amelanchier, Celtis, and Viburnum sel- 

 dom come up until the second year. The red bud, Kentucky 

 coffee-tree, and yellow-wood need to have boiling water poured 

 on them, letting them stand for twenty-four hours. Then take those 

 that have swollen, which are considered fit for sowing, and treat 

 the rest to a hot bath again. The ailanthus, catalpa, mulberry, 

 birch, and alder are best sown in spring as soon as the ground is 

 dry enough to work. The red and white maples, the elm, and 

 Betula nigra ripen early and should be sown as soon as gathered, 

 and if well cared for make good plants the first year. Magnolias 

 should not be sown out of doors until the weather becomes warm. 

 The holly seldom comes up until the second year. Such seed as that 

 of magnolias, roses, mountain ash, Celastrus, Viburnums, Amel- 

 anchiers, and all fleshy, pulpy seed, I macerate in water and wash 

 out, and sow or stratify before they are dry. When seeds are sown 

 in the fall, as soon as the ground is frozen cover the bed with a light 

 covering of hay or pine needle, which will keep the ground from 

 heaving and the heavy spring rains from washing up the seed. If 

 closely looked after the covering may be left on until the seed shows 

 signs of germination, when it should be carefully removed. All 

 seed be.ds and rows should be kept free from weeds and as soon as 

 seeds are up the ground should be hoed or cultivated frequently. 

 This causes the young plants to push more vigorously and makes 



