PRACTICAL ARBORICULTURE 437 
3 
and cover the roots and part of the tops with fine earth filling in all crevices. 
Here they are safe until wanted in spring for planting. 
Where frost does not occur to such extent as to heave plants out of the 
ground, as in the south, planting may be done in autumn. 
With all the caution we may give and all the care in explaining how 
seed should be planted, there are many who are so careless as to fail entirely 
in growing plants. 
We furnished large quantities of Catalpa seed, which was very scarce 
and expensive, to certain nurserymen who claimed to know all about growing 
seedlings. This planting was a failure and the seed lost. 
There are other instances where want of proper care has resulted in al- 
most entire failure. 
One correspondent who failed was asked how deep the seeds were covered, 
his reply was, “About an inch.” 
This will usually explain the cause of ill success. 
A noted Pennsylvania forester is the last to admit of his failure and attrib- 
utes the result to poor seed. 
In order to test the vitality of Catalpa seed, we made a test at the World’s 
Fair, twelve seeds from same lot of seed as that furnished the nurserymen, were 
planted in a six inch flower pot and twelve strong plants were produced. Everv 
seed made a plant. 
One-fourth inch is as deep covering as the seed can break through. 
Loose sandy or mellow loam is the best soil in which to plant the seed. 
