Practical Sylviculture 107 



Collecting and storing seeds 



In every woodlot such trees as the oaks, ashes, maples 

 are always desirable, and these trees, particularly, are the 

 ones that it is wise to renew as fast as the old ones are 

 removed. In renewing the woodlot under such conditions, 

 it seems best to secure seed from the trees themselves, for 

 seed-bearing trees may be found in any woodlot. Con- 

 ditions may be such that the seed falling from the trees 

 will, spring up and produce sufficient natural reproduc- 

 tion so as not to necessitate any artificial aid. However, 

 just the opposite is usually the case. Consequently, it is 

 a wise precaution to collect seed from such species as it 

 is desired to perpetuate and to plant them directly, either 

 in the woodlot or in the farm nursery. 



Time of collecting. — Among the hardwood trees, the 

 time of ripening of seed varies from spring until fall ; 

 consequently it is necessary to know at what time the 

 trees fruit in order to collect good, fresh, vital seed. 

 The following table (page 108) states briefly the time of 

 ripening, the time for collecting, the time for planting, 

 of the chief seeds produced in the farm woodlot. 



It will be noticed that seeds which ripen in the spring 

 and early summer grow the same season. This must be 

 taken into account when planting seeds of this kind. The 

 elms are a good example of this. Seeds that mature in 

 the fall pass the winter on the ground and grow the follow- 

 ing spring. The oaks are a good example of this kind. 

 It is, consequently, a comparatively easy matter to grow 

 seedlings from spring and early summer seeds, since they 

 ripen at a time when the soil and growing conditions are 



