Practical Sylviculture 117 



and mice do very little damage after the seeds have come 

 up, but birds, particularly the seed-eating sparrows, such 

 as the field and song sparrow, will eat the seeds and will 

 also destroy the tender seedlings, while they still retain 

 the seed coat on the cotyledons. It is customary to coat 

 seeds of this kind with red lead mixed in water. This 

 does not injure the seed, but destroys their attractiveness 

 for birds and squirrels. As soon as the seed is sown, the 

 . bed should be sprinkled lightly and then covered with 

 a light mulch. This is best done by spreading burlap, or 

 a strip of muslin, on the seed-bed and upon this placing 

 a mulch of leaves, or any material that will keep the 

 bed from drying out. Just as soon as the seedlings 

 appear above the surface, this mulch must be removed 

 so as to give them light and air. 



Protecting the seedlings. — During the first three or four 

 weeks, coniferous seedlings are very subject during damp 

 weather to a disease known as "damping off," which in a 

 very short time will cause them to wilt and die. This 

 usually can be prevented by regulating the moisture and 

 by thoroughly ventilating the beds after heavy rains and 

 during humid weather. Partial shade must be provided. 

 This is best and most economically done by making shade 

 screens four feet square from ordinary building lath. 

 These screens are so made as to produce half shade. Two 

 strips of lath are used as cross-pieces and upon them the 

 lath are nailed with spaces equal to their own width 

 between them. These lath screens are then placed on a 

 frame by driving stakes at intervals around the edge of 

 the bed and about 18 inches out of the ground, joined by 

 board strips upon which these lath screens are supported. 



