28 PRACTICAL FORESTRY. 



While all of the larger nuts, as well as maples, tulips, 

 elms, magnolias, and several other kinds, will not ger- 

 minate after becoming once thoroughly dry, there are 

 other kinds as the locust, yellow wood, acacias, and 

 nearly all of the coniferas that may be kept in a cool, 

 dry atmosphere a year or more, and some will retain their 

 vitality for several years. There is also another class of 

 trees, the seeds of which can scarcely be forced to ger- 

 minate until they have been in the ground for two years, 

 among them the common hawthorn (Cratcegus), and the 

 red cedar (Juniperus), and closely allied species are 

 familiar examples. 



PREPARING A SEED-BED. 



For most of the deciduous trees the open field is a 

 good situation for a seed-bed, no shade being required 

 for the young seedlings, except in rare instances. The 

 preparation of the soil should be most thorough, not 

 only should it be plowed deep, but cross-plowed and 

 pulverized with a harrow, until in fine tilth and free 

 from all lumps and stone. If the land is not rich it 

 should be made so, by liberal applications of very old 

 and well decomposed barn-yard manure, or some other 

 good fertilizer, but no fresh stable manure or other kind 

 that will make the soil too open and loose, should be 

 used. When all is ready, the seed should be sown in 

 drills far enough apart to admit of cultivation, with plow 

 or cultivator. There are two methods of sowing, the 

 single drill and in double or narrow beds. The first is 

 more convenient for thorough and clean cultivation, but 

 the latter is sometimes preferred, where the space to be 

 devoted to the purpose is limited, or where it is desirable 

 to raise a very large number of plants on a given area. 

 Small seeds may be sown with a seed-drill, when con- 

 venient, or the single drill may be opened with a plow 

 or marker made for the purpose, or even opened with a 



