34 MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY 



Watering. The watering of the young evergreen seedhngs is an 

 essential operation, and any one considering the culture of conifers 

 on a commercial basis must first arrange for plenty of water avail- 

 able to all parts of the seed bed area. The water is not used as a 

 means to force added growth to the seedlings; it is an insurance 

 against prolonged and severe drought at a time when the seeds 

 are germinating. Some seasons not a drop of water will be re- 

 quired, the rains coming at just the right time to give the necessary 

 moisture to induce the maximum germination. The next year's 

 conditions may be just the reverse, and after the seed is planted 

 and the time for germinating at hand if the weather is dry the 

 seed will germinate poorly if not supplied with moisture at this time. 

 Therefore it is necessary that the water be available when it is 

 needed, otherwise the seed beds will show an uneven appearance. 



Thinning the seed beds. The plan followed is to plant the seed 

 thick enough to be assured of a heavy stand; the theory is that if 

 the young seedlings come too thick they must be thinned to the 

 desired quantity upon a given area. However, if they do not come 

 thick enough, the growth is seldom good, due to the fact that the 

 ground is not shaded by the young seedlings and their growth is 

 retarded. Therefore, be generous with your seed at planting time, 

 knowing that if they are too thick they can be thinned, but if the 

 stand is poor it never grows better. In fact, the little trees seem 

 to disappear and at the end of the second year most of them have 

 succumbed to the elements. It may be necessary throughout the 

 long hot dry summer to water the bed; if watering is necessary, it 

 should be done in a thorough manner; soak the ground so that the 

 water reaches down to the roots of the seedlings. It is best applied 

 in the late afternoon or evening, in fact we usually water the 

 seed beds during the night. This prevents the sun from burning 

 the little seedlings while the foliage is wet. 



Winter ■protection. It is necessary in northern Illinois to give 

 every seed bed a blanket or overcoat for winter. Leaves, rye, 

 straw or wild hay are scattered lightly over the tops of the little 

 seedlings and the rack shade let down on top to prevent the wind 

 from blowing the covering away. There is danger of molding if 

 the covering is placed on too thick. The covering must be removed 

 as soon as the frost is gone in the spring. This covering is not to 



