60 PRACTICAL rOKBSTRT. 



The soil in which the seeds of coniferse are sown 

 should be of a light, porous nature, and if not naturally 

 of this kind, it should be made so by liberal additions of 

 leaf -mould and sand. If, after watering, the surface be- 

 comes hard, and a firm crust is formed, it is not light 

 enough, and more sand or mould should be added. Pure 

 sand will answer well for a sed-bed, if a little liquid 

 manure be added occasionally after the seedlings com- 

 mence to show their second set of leaves. 



SOWING THE SEEDS. 



Small evergreen seeds, like those of the arbor-vitses, 

 may be scattered broadcast on the surface, and then be 

 covered by sifting soil over them, but those of the larger 

 size should be sown in drills from four to six inches apart, 

 and not so close in the drill that the growing plants 

 are liable to be crowded. When sown in drills, the soil 

 between them can be stirred if necessary, and the weeds 

 more readily removed than when the seed is sown broad- 

 cast. 



The time for sowing will depend much on the climate 

 and the kind of seed. Such as can be safely kept through 

 the winter, should be sown in the spring, although some 

 of the more hardy species may be sown in autumn, but 

 there is often danger of their destruction during winter 

 by mice and other vermin. The usual course is to keep 

 the seed over winter in their cones, as gathered from the 

 tree, or if shelled out, in paper bags, stored in a dry, 

 cool room. Should they seem too dry in spring, their 

 germination may be materially hastened by soaking a 

 few hours in tepid water. After the water is drained 

 off, the seed may be mixed with dry sand or gypsum, 

 which will take up the surplus moisture, and facilitate 

 the ready separation of the seed when sowing. Very small 

 seed should be covered an eighth of an inch, the coarser 

 ones, like those of the nut-pine, a half inch, but not more. 



