216 ELEMENTS OF SYLYICULTUEE. 



oak, whose vegetation in good soil is rather more 

 regular than that of the sessile-flowered variety, yields 

 for a bushel a weight of from 40 to 48 pounds and 

 8,000 to 9,500 acorns. 



These are obviously only general indications, which 

 must be modified, according to circumstances, by the 

 means of supervision available, and by the dangers 

 and enemies to which seedlings are exposed at the 

 moment of germination. 



When the seeds have been scattered, they are 

 covered over with just enough earth to protect them 

 from birds and to prevent the rain from laying them 

 bare . For this purpose mould prepared in the nursery 

 itself, or very fine earth, is used with advantage. A 

 covering of a third of an inch is the best for small 

 seeds such as those of the spruce fir, Scotch pine, &c. 

 For the larger seeds, such as the acorn or beech-nut, 

 or for those which have a woody pericarp, like the 

 hornbeam, drought must be provided against, and 

 hence it is expedient to go as far as one inch. 



It is sometimes prudent to shelter the young 

 plants at the moment of germination and against 

 drought during the first year. Twigs laid flat on 

 the ground or stuck in between the trenches answer 

 well. It is above all shelter rather than cover that 

 is needed, and consequently the nurseryman will 

 avoid the constant use of thatch supported horizon- 

 tally at a certain height on pegs. Broom, furze, and 

 branches of the conifers are very convenient for this 

 purpose. For a long time it was believed impossible 

 to raise beech and silver fir in open nurseries on 

 account of the delicate constitution of the young 



