SYLVICULTURE. 



A. Removing the soil covers, such as briars, Kalmia, Chinquapin, 

 mosses, dead leaves, humus. A plow and grubber (cultivator) or a 

 harrow can usually not be used for the purpose; the hoe (a strong 

 make) is largely used abroad; weeds are removed with brush hooks 

 or scythes or machetes or are, if possible, killed by deadening. In 

 certain cases an iron rake might do. Often it is necessary to remove 

 the cover by fire: fire, however, produces a heavy growth of weeds 

 on fertile soil (as in Pisgah forest). 



B. Loosening the soil. Just after logging, the soil has enough 

 porosity to allow of the development of a second growtlf. On aban- 

 doned fields or in prairies thorough working with the plow% often 

 continued for a number of years, may or must precede the act of 

 planting. 



Paragraph XII. Securing and preparing the seeds. 



A. European tree seeds are usually bought from reliable dealers, 

 who rival in furnishing the best seed at the lowest price, guarantee- 

 ing a certain percentage to germinate. In America, the forester must 

 secure seeds himself, collecting them by contract, or preferably, by 

 day work. Some European sylviculturists insist that seeds should 

 be taken only from the best and strongest trees. Mayr considers 

 special care superfluous. 



B. Under " coning " is understood the method of obtaining seeds 

 of coniferous species from their cones. Coning of Spruce, Pine, Fir 

 and Larch on a commercial scale is practiced in Europe by Henry 

 Keller, Appel & Co. and A. I^ecoq, all of Darmstadt, Germany. 



Certain Pine species (Nutpines) have wingless seeds. The wings 

 of other Pine seeds hold the grain in a claw. 



The seed of Spruce lies in the wing as in a spoon; the seed of 

 Larch and Fir is attached to the wing and is not easily separated. 



Among the broad-leaf cone bearers — Alders, Birches and Magno- 

 lias—the coning of Magnolias only offers some difficulties. 



I. The methods of coning are as follows: 



a. Coning by insolation, the oldest and safest method. Trays, 

 the bottoms of which cmtain open lath work or wire netting, are 

 placed in the sun and removed to a shed if rain threatens to fall. 

 The cones are spread on the trays in layers not over two cones deep 

 and are stirred with a rake. In place of trays, drums might be used 

 to good advantage. In a cold climate the sun process allows of 

 obtaining the seeds only at a time too late for seed planting. The 

 germinating percentage of seeds obtained by the sun process is, 

 otherwise, superior to that of seeds coned by other methods. 



b. Coning by stove heat. 



44 



