438 RemarJcs and Observations suggested 



so do laurels, ^'rbutus, mountain ash, &c. Seeds with shells ge- 

 nerally spring the first year, if under favourable circumstances, 

 but some, as hazel nuts, &c., will lie over, if the spring is dry, 

 to next year. Naked seeds generally come the first year ; some, 

 as ash, tulip tree, &c., lie two years ; elms, and a great many 

 flower seeds, grow best when sown the year they ripen, as they 

 come off the plant. The period of germinating in all seeds may, 

 however, be hastened by collecting the seeds before they are 

 fully ripe, and all their carbon deposited, and sowing immediately 

 to prevent their drying ; also by laying the berries, &c., in heaps, to 

 facilitate the decomposition of their pulp ; and the heat, which is 

 extricated in this process, helps to render the food soluble. 

 Thorns will come the first year, and hollies the second, if care- 

 fully kept in this way : but they must be watched ; laid in thick 

 heaps ; kept in a cellar from air, and weather, and light ; and 

 turned frequently, to prevent their spoiling from too much heat. 

 It is necessary that seeds be covered in the earth to exclude 

 light, and to secure moisture and heat; but the degree of co- 

 vering should vary with the strength of the seed. In seeds that 

 push strongly, the exclusion of light, and the securing of mois- 

 ture and heat, are best effected by a pretty deep covering, which 

 also strengthens the roots ; if too deep, however, the stem gets 

 etiolated and weak before coming through. As before said (in 

 the section Bottom Heat), if the soil is well broken into small 

 particles in dry weather, the heat and moisture are retained 

 better and the light more perfectly excluded ; for large seeds, 

 however, it should not be raked so very fine on the surface, as it 

 is more apt to skin over with wetness, and exclude heat. The 

 depth of covering should be varied with the nature of the soil, 

 whether adhesive and damp or loose and dry ; also the ex- 

 pectation we may form of wet or dry weather, from the nature 

 of the climate, period of the year, and state of the weather. From 

 one eighth of an inch to 2 in. should be sufficient for most seeds ; 

 though some, as the birch, &c., are so weak as hardly to stand 

 any covering; and others, as the walnut, &c., in some soils may 

 be the better of more than 2 in. Small weak seeds are difficult 

 to manage; birch and some others can hardly be covered too 

 lightly, if covered at all ; and the more dry powdery dust in the 

 cover, the less will be required : they cannot I'ise through a deep 

 cover, and they must have all the requisites of heat, moisture, 

 air, and exclusion fi'om light, if possible, in a superior degree. If 

 the ground is left rough or skinned on the surface by being 

 done in wet weather, this object is completely defeated : the 

 ground should be worked in dry weather, broken very small with 

 the spade, and raked with a succession of smaller rakes, well 

 twisted through the soil till the surface would pass through a 

 plasterer's narrow sieve. As noticed before (see Bottom Heat), 



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