PLANTING AND CARE OF TREES 49 



however, and are mentioned here to show that all kinds of seed 

 cannot be treated in exactly the same manner. 



Some seeds require special treatment before storing for the 

 winter. During the early fall most kinds should be spread out in 

 thin layers in some cool, airy place, such as under a shed on the 

 north side of other buildings or on the upper shelves of a cool, dry 

 cellar. Nuts and acorns are best kept on the ground in a cool 

 shed. Most kinds require close attention to keep them from 

 heating and moulding. If the layers are too deep the seed is 

 likely to mould, and if too shallow it is likely to dry out. The 

 more succulent seeds should be in thinner layers than the dryer 

 kinds. With some of the quickly drying sorts it is sometimes nec- 

 essary to cover them with straw, chaff, or a thin cloth. Some 

 of the Evergreen cones require excessive drying before they will 

 open and release their seeds. The fleshy fruits of the Mulberry, 

 the Cherry, the Hawthorn, and the Plum, require macerating in 

 water until the seeds can be sep'arated readily from the pulp. The 

 shucks of Black Walnuts, Butternuts and Hickory nuts should be 

 removed within a few days after gathering. The most import- 

 ant point to be observed in the storing of seeds of any kind is to keep 

 them in a cool, dry place to prevent germination and at the same 

 time avoid excessive drying. 



Testing the Vitality of Seeds — Some seeds will remain 

 viable for many years while others must be planted within 

 a few weeks to insure a good growth. Seedsmen frequentlv mix 

 their "left-over" seed with their fresh stock and this sometimes 

 accounts for the low degree of germination of some samples. It is 

 well, therefore, to test a sample of seed before buying large quan- 

 tities. The only strictly reliable test to determine the vitality of 

 seeds is germination, but this often requires many days or weeks 

 for results. With a little experience in examining fresh and stale 

 seed, one may expect to determine fairly accurately whether a given 

 sample will grow. The examination consists in cutting open about 

 fifty seeds of a sample and in observing whether the kernels are de- 

 cayed, moldy, abnormally shrunken or completely dried out. If a 

 large percentage of those examined are firm, plump, and normally 

 moist, the sample probably may be relied upon. The seeds of some 

 species, like the Ashes and Locusts, may be extremely dry and yet 

 be reliable. 



