xe ELEMENTARY FORESTRY. 
This should be removed in the spring after all danger from dry- 
ing cold winds has passed. 
Depth to Cover Seeds. Most of our tree seeds should, 
in good soil, be covered from one-half to three-quarters of an 
inch; but this is rather too much for such small seeds as the 
Birch, Alder and Cottonwood, while the Black Walnut, Native 
Plum, Acorns and other large seeds and seeds of Boxelder, 
Ash, Soft Maple and Basswood may often be covered two 
inches to advantage if the soil is somewhat dry. It is a good 
rule not to cover any tree seeds deeper than is necessary to 
secure permanent moisture, and on wet or heavy land only a 
very thin covering is desirable. If the land is very heavy, it is a 
good plan not only to cover lightly but to sow more thickly 
than usual, as a large number of seeds may be able to push up 
through the surface soil when a few would fail to do this. 
The Amount of Seeds of Deciduous Trees to Sow 
on a given area depends very much on the kind and quality of 
the seeds and the soil in which they are to be sown. As a rule, 
thick is better than thin sowing. The seeds of Boxelder, Ash 
and Maple should be sown at the rate of about one good seed 
to the square inch; Elm and Birch should be sown twice as 
thick. Plums and cherries sown in drills should be allowed 
about one inch of row for each good seed. Black Walnut, But- 
ternut, Hickory and similar seeds should preferably be planted 
three or four in a place, and all but one seedling cut out when 
nicely started. If sown in drills they should be placed from 
three to six inches apart. Rather thick seeding does not seem 
to be any hindrance to the making of a good growth by seed- 
lings of most of our broad-leaved trees the first year, but if left 
thick in the seed bed the second year they are often seriously 
stunted. On this account such seedlings should be transplanted 
or thinned out before the beginning of the second year. In 
nursery planting it is a good plan to sow in freshly stirred land, 
as the seeds are far more likely to get a good start in it than in 
soil that has remained untilled long enough to become crusty 
and lumpy. ‘Then, if the seeds are planted immediately after 
cultivation has been given, and while the soil is still moist, they 
have at least as good a chance as the weeds to start, while oth- 
erwise the weeds are soon ahead of the seedlings. , 
It is important to keep the soil loose and mellow between 
