502 Transactions of the American Institute. 



unless it be in sections of the country where the land is liable to be 

 frequentl}^ frozen and thawed during winter. 



In localities where the weather in winter is very changeable, all 

 kinds of hardy tree seeds may be safely preserved in the following 

 manner: Select a tight, strong box; in the bottom of this place a 

 thin layer of sand; on this put a layer of seed; then a little more 

 sand, and so on alternately until the box is full; nail on the cover, 

 and then bury the box in the open ground, covering it a foot or 

 more deep. A dry, sandy knoll is the best place, if handy; if not, 

 set the box on the ground, and make a large mound of earth over 

 it. The common sweet chestnut is generally thought to be a diffi- 

 cult seed to keep through the winter; but buried in sand, as I have 

 described, it will usually be as fresh and sound in spring as when 

 first gathered from the tree. I have also preserved the chestnut 

 and similar seeds by packing in damp moss and then placing them 

 iu a cool cellar. Rats and mice are very fond of most kinds of 

 tree seeds, and they should be placed beyond the reach of these 

 pests of the farm and garden. ' 



It is scarcely necessary for me to call your attention to the fact 

 that forest tree culture can be made a profitable business — even 

 more so, in many localities, than any of our ordinary farm crops. 

 Neither will you expect me, at this time, to designate the best spe- 

 cies or varieties for culture, inasmuch as soils, locations and markets 

 dilFer very widely, and each may demand a particular kind. For 

 instance, the common white birch is usually considered one of the 

 most worthless species of native trees; still, near some of our 

 manufacturing towns, where its wood is used for making spools, it 

 commands a much greater price than oak, hickory, chestnut, and 

 many similar kinds of timber. Even the much despised ailanthus, 

 for some locations and soils, is a most valuable tree. It gi'ows rap- 

 idly even upon poor, light soils; and although it does not attain a 

 very large size, still its wood is well adapted to many other pur- 

 poses besides that of fuel. 



There are many other similar instances that might be named 

 where the local value of a species is far above its general one. But 

 all these things will be learned in time, and the most that we can 

 expect at present is to call the attention of the masses to the impor- 

 tance of the subject, for we know full well that when our people 

 become aware that there is a rich field open to them they are ready 

 to occupy, and make it yield a full return. We have to regret 



