WHERE PINE SEEDLINGS CAN BE FOUND 55 



rels, mice, etc., devour large portions of the seed before 

 they germinate, and even those that do germinate are most 

 often in unfavorable locations, as under hea\y shade in 

 the forest, or too much exposed and hence burned by the 

 sun. The young white pine seedling is very tender and 

 delicate Avhen young, growing only about an inch in height 

 the first year, and survives only when the conditions are 

 favorable. It is claimed by some writers that the pine 

 ripens seeds onh' once in seven years. Our experience has 

 shown that there is no set rule to be followed, as we have 

 seen very heavy seedings of the same trees only three years 

 apart, and have observed trees producing a fair yield of 

 cones two years in succession. It is believed the nature of 

 the seasons has very much to do with this question. There 

 are very few years but that pine seeds can be gathered in 

 some sections of New England. In the fall of 1902 cones 

 were extremely scarce generally, but this was exceptional. 



The following season after a seed year, if one will go into 

 the woods or examine the ground carefully about any of the 

 pine trees large enough to produce cones, the chances are 

 that here will be found quantities of young pine seedlings. 

 These seedlings usually struggle along throughout that sea- 

 son and, if in the deep shade, make no perceptible growth, 

 dampen off after hea^y rains or become so enfeebled 

 as to be unable to go through the following winter, etc. : 

 at any rate, in the course of a few j^ears they are gone. Not 

 all, however, perish, as here and there in every locality some 

 conditions out of the ordinarv are to be found if one is 

 looking for them wherein the seeds have lodged and have 

 found ideal conditions. It so happens that some one has 

 just cleared off a wood lot the winter following the heavy 

 seeding or a portion of one, where just enough vegetation 

 was left to shade certain parts. Perhaps here and there 

 wind-falls have occurred or openings in the woods made 

 by removing the larger trees, or the field on the north side 

 of the woods, due to the partial shade, has been seeded 

 in, etc. Here will be found the young seedlings in all 



