GOOD TREES AND SHRUBS 207 



under cover a day or so before sowing. Sow the seed thinly, 

 and just cover it with soil that has been passed through a very 

 fine mesh sieve. This remark applies to all very minute seeds 

 falling under the tree and shrub portion of this work. Larger 

 seeds, of course, do not require such particular attention. 

 After sowing, the pans should be immediately placed in 

 position in the house or frame, where they are to remain 

 until the seedlings push their way through the soil, the latter 

 always being watered with a very fine rose water-pot. Water 

 given to seed pans should be " lukewarm." It is a capital 

 plan to place tiffany or similar thin material over the seed 

 pans, as this breaks fierce light upon the surface soil, and also 

 prevents excessive evaporation. 



When the seedlings are large enough to handle, prick them 

 off into suitable soil, and later on remove to a cold frame, so 

 as to harden off ready for planting out in nursery rows. If 

 transferred to the open ground while growth is being made, 

 much benefit will result from occasional overhead waterings 

 until the roots are able to take up nourishment from the 

 fresh soil. When a spell of hot, dry weather follows planting, 

 feathery boughs placed over the plants to protect them from 

 the sun will be of great assistance until they are established. 



Seeds Sown out of Doors. In the first place, the position 

 the seed-beds are to occupy must be considered. These 

 should be thoroughly well drained, and raise them just above 

 the level of the surrounding ground. The soil should be in 

 good workable order, as probably some seeds will remain in 

 the ground eighteen months or two years before germination. 

 The surface soil should be fine and quite level, and if drought 

 follows the sowing, frequent waterings through a fine nozzled 

 hose or rose water-pot will be beneficial. 



Seeds are usually sown broadcast in beds, four feet wide, 

 with alleys about 16 inches wide between them, and occasion- 

 ally in rows or drills, the distance between the rows varying 

 from 8 inches to a foot. Then certain kinds of trees 

 Carya or Hickory, Walnut, and others of similar character, 

 possessing long tap roots and few fibres, are generally better 

 for being sown in positions where the trees are intended to 

 remain permanently. Birds and vermin are often responsible 

 for considerable damage to seeds ; the first-named can be 

 kept off by nets, and traps settle the latter. Seed-beds should 

 always be kept free from weeds, which, if allowed to grow 

 unchecked and perfect their seeds, become troublesome and 

 rob the ground of nourishment required for the seedling 

 trees and shrubs. 



