78 FOEBST PLANTING. 



smoothly, whereupon matured pine-eones, collected 

 during the latter part of the preceding winter, were at 

 the rate of 5 bushels per acre evenly distributed oyer the 

 field. When the heat in June had fully opened the 

 cones, the field was dragged oyer with the brush- 

 harrow, the dragging being only practised to shake 

 the cones, and make them discharge those seeds which 

 were still kept in the scales. The tract was then left 

 undisturbed. During the next spring so many plants 

 had come up, that this plot, by thinning, furnished 

 suflScient seedlings to restock, for two years, some large 

 openings in the adjoining woods. 



One bushel of pine-cones weighs about 45 pounds, 

 contains about 3,000 cones with 1 pound clean seed, 

 or about 70,000 kernels. 



Seeding Pines in open fields is often done broadcast 

 with clean seed, using for the acre from four to five 

 pounds. If Spruces are seeded, one pound per acre 

 should be added. If winged seed is used, one quarter 

 of the quantity just specified must be added. For the 

 proper distribution of the seed, such sowing machines 

 are commonly used as are employed in seeding clover. 

 Should it be advisable to mix Pine seed with Spruce and 

 Larch, one pound of the Spruce and Larch is substituted 

 for half a pound of Pine. 



Mostly, however, large tracts are seeded by drilling 

 in the Pine seeds by which operation one-third part of 

 the seed required in broadcast sowing will be saved. 



As for the time of seeding, it makes a difference 

 whether cones or seeds are used. The former should be 

 distributed early in spring, while the latter are sown when 

 the temperature has become somewhat warmer. 



The best way to cover the seeds of the cones is that 

 which has been suggested heretofore, as only a light 

 cover is required. Clean seeds are usually covered with 

 a wooden harrow, the teeth of its front row only being 



