286 TRANSACTIONS OF THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE. 



The supposed difficulty in raising; them was tlioug-ht to be the drying* out 

 of the soil in summer; but tliis is now obviated by early sowing'/wliich 

 allows of the roots penetrating- to the cool subsoil before the hot weather 

 sets in; they will, however, do very well sown in Jul}^ or any of the sum- 

 mer months, if sown in a cool moist pla,ce. 



' The mode I have seen practiced for early sowing was to have a row of 

 frames, with sash, and well banked up around to tlirow off the snow and rain 

 the soil inside raked, and the seed sov/h in drills two inches apart, which 

 will admit of their being- weeded — which cannot be easily done when they 

 are sown broadcast. The frame and sash are used more for protection 

 from birds, cats, chickens, etc., during- germination than from aii}' actual 

 need for them, although in cases of heavy rains they are useful. 



As soon as the seedlings have made a few leaves, the sash is left off alto- 

 gether. A great advantage of the. sash is, it enables one to thaw out the 

 soil in the first place, thus getting the seeds sown several weeks earlier 

 than could be done without them. 



For sowing in large quantities, where frames would be thought incon- 

 venient, a long narrow border, with a slight slope northward, or the north 

 side of a hedge, to break the sun's rays, would be the most suitable place 

 for them — sowing the seed as early as possible. They would be strong 

 enough to stand out the winter if covered with some small litter and 

 boughs. If the dry season should set in before the plants have made much 

 root, they should receive a tliorough watering in the evening, with the soil 

 stirred up around thein the next morning. Some kinds, among tliem the 

 Taxus and Piuus cembra, cedar, and other kinds, do not always grow the 

 first year; they should be sown in a place where they can remain two 

 years without being disturbed. They are usually allowed two years in the 

 seed beds before planting out. 



I, last March, saw a large quantity of seeds sown in frames, in the way 

 described; and I believe, with few exceptions, the whole of them germin- 

 ated. Some Norway spruce were afterward lost in the hot season, from 

 excessive dryness; the ground, I think, had too much slope, causing the 

 rain to run off easily. Some Austrian and Scotch Pines, sown two years 

 ago, are perfect models, and will be planted out in the nursery rows this 

 spring, six inches between the plants, and two feet in the rows. 



Sugar Maple — How to Preserve. 



Mr. N. Smith, Delplii, Carroll count}^, Indiana, says experiments this year 

 have proved that two tin tubes made over No. 7 wire, and inserted in gim- 

 let holes, which do not injure the tree in the least, affords as much sap as 

 the spile of the half-inch auger hole. Some tubes were inserted in trees 

 too young to tap in the ordinary way, and in old trees four or five tubes 

 were inserted. Such tubes cost but a trille and will last for many 3'ears, 

 and as thc}'^ do no injury, ma[)le trees may be thus preserved. 



Stumps — Destroying with Vitriol. 



Mr. S. R. Duren, Woburn, Mass., wants to know if destroying stumps 

 with vitriol has been tried on such an extensive scale as to warrant his 



