DBSOBIPTION OP sAOHERIES. 139 



temperature may be raised to 30°=100° Fahr,, or even 35''=112° 

 Fahr., without injury to the germinative power of the seed. "This heat 

 is maintained until the cones open, they are then stirred or shaken 

 briskly in all the trays, commencing with the highest series, that 

 the seeds may fall from tray to tray till they reach the drawers 

 under the lowest tier. To facilitate this shaking of the trays, they 

 have been made moveable on rollers in two grooves, so that, by pulling 

 and pushing the tray, all the cones contained in it may be easily 

 moved. 



" When all the cones have opened as extensively as possible they 

 are withdrawn, and the seeds still remaining in them are collected. 

 For this purpose they are placed in a vessel like a churn, in which 

 there is a suitable opening by which the seeds may pass and be 

 received into a vessel placed beneath. The cones are thus briskly 

 agitated until they are completely emptied of seeds, and the empty 

 cones are employed to feed the fire. 



" When solar heat is to be employed, the scaffolding is supported 

 against the wall of a building on a southern exposure. On this the 

 trays are disposed at such a height between that the sun's rays may 

 fall on all, the highest and lowest alike. Under the lowest trays are 

 drawers, provided with coverings of thick cloth, that if rain fall the 

 seed may be easily covered and kept dry. 



" The whole apparatus is covered with a light roof, the slope of 

 which is towards the north. 



" When there is a powerful sun and great heat the cones are 

 shaken, commencing with the trays in the upper tiers, and proceeding 

 in regular succession to those of the lowest row ; and the seeds are 

 then collected in the drawer. At last, when it is considered that the 

 cones have opened as much as possible, they are taken away and put 

 in a churn such as has been described for the extraction of those seeds 

 which may remain in them." 



MM. Parade, etc., say " that the apparatus employed in connection 

 with solar heat has been practically perfected by attaching to each 

 tray a moveable cover which is closed during the night, and when it 

 rains, and can be opened to varying extents according to the heat of 

 the sun. And that this cover may better reflect the sun's rays upon 

 the cones, the lower surface is painted of a white colour or is varnished. 



" To these houses constructed for the drying of seeds, the 

 designation Secher'ies is given in France. 



" The Forest Administration of Forests in France has in the forest 



