ft 



Ash and Pencil-cedar in tubs mixed with sand and kept 

 moist, and then sown in the nursery beds as soon as visible 

 germination began. The tubs must of course be care- 

 fully watched for the first signs of germination. But 

 the usual plan with these slow germinating seeds is to sow 

 early in winter, about May, and then to maintain the beds 

 for two springs. The Juniper and Ash that have had all 

 the cold and wet of winter on them will germinate largely 

 the first spring and practically completely by the second 

 Spring. The germination of some obstinate seeds may be 

 hastened by macerating them for a day in water at a tem- 

 perature of 100 Fab. in imitation of their passage through 

 the intestines of birds. Hard seeds such as Wattle should 

 be treated with boiling water and soaked in warm water 

 till soft. Gums are usually sown in spring and planted out 

 the following winter or spring, but with a little care they 

 m ay be kept in the nursery a year longer. To do this, they 

 should be cut back if large, watered sparingly, and the tins 

 frequently lifted to make sure that the roots do not grow 

 through the drainage holes. Pines may remain from one 

 to two years in the nursery. I prefer two-year Pines grown 

 in poor soil to one year Pines grown in rich soil. In a forcing 

 climate like that of Knysna two-year Pines aie too large to 

 plant with safety. In the Cape Peninsula hardy two-year 

 Pines about six inches high are the best for planting, Bed 

 plants succeed well in the Cape Peninsula. Almost every- 

 where else in South Africa the hot winds render tin plants 

 necessary, and in very dry localities planting from small 

 sicgle tins or reeds or metal tubes is the only safe way of 

 planting with most species. 



Hakeas, hedge-plants and all the quick-growing trees 

 remain from six months to a year in the nursery. Slow 

 growing trees remain two or more years in the nursery. 

 The leaf -shedding trees usually remain for several years in 

 the nursery, as they are so easily planted out as large trees. 

 Oaks from six to eigfit feet high remain from five to seven 

 years in the nursery. 



Whenever it is necessary to store or pack succulent 

 seeds, such as Acorns, Camphor, Chestnut, Walnut, or 

 Juniper, mix the seed with an equal bulk of moderately dry 

 earth. The earth shakes down between the interstices of 



