surface. Light seeds such as Gum seed should be barely 

 covered with a thin sprinkling of sand ; or, better still, 

 with sand and sawdust mixed, and while germinating they 

 should be closely shaded. 



The quantity of seed that may be sown per acre for in 

 situ sowings varies much. The rule in the large broadcast 

 sowings of Cluster-pine on the Cape Flats is 40 Ibs., or a 

 good bushel to the acre. Where the conditions are less 

 favourable than usual, 60 Ibs. of seed to the acre is put in. 

 For Saligna Wattle 20 Ibs. of seed is usually enough, and 

 where the seed and soil are good, and other conditions 

 favourable, as little as 4 Ibs. or 5 Ibs. of seed to the acre is 

 enough. No harm is done by sowing pines too thickly, 

 but if sown too thinly the whole work must be done over 

 again, or planting resorted to. Wattles, on the other hand, 

 must not be sown too thickly as the bark on thin reedy 

 stems is not worth stripping. It is almost always fallacious 

 to take the average number of seeds to the pound and 

 reckon that out in plants. Bad seed, birds, mice, drought, 

 excessive rain, and often frost, have all to be provided for 

 in varying degrees. Seed should not be wasted, but it is 

 better to sow too much than too little. Too many young 

 trees are a doubtful evil, and one that is easily met ! -Too 

 few young trees means, filling up with expensive planting 

 or doing all the work over again. 



Nurseries. 



PREPARATION OF SOIL. The special requirements of 

 different trees will be found below, under the various trees 

 described. Good garden soil should always be selected or 

 prepared for a nursery, which is, in fact, a garden. Wood- 

 ashes, burnt bones and well rotted compost are preferable to 

 fresh dung. If dung be used, horse dung is better for heavy 

 soils, cattle or sheep for light soils. If possible, store dung out 

 of reach of heavy rain : 40 inches of rain will turn horse dung 

 into fibre, only useful as a mulch. Use guano not at all, 

 or cautiously : it is liable t) produce too forced a growth 

 and weak plants. The best manure of all for a nursery is 

 the mud dug out of an unpaved stable. Backward plants 

 may be brought forward by a dressing of this or by 



