374 BiEECT sowiira. 



SECTION VI. 

 Maintenance operations. 



At first, until germination has taken place, the seeds sown re- 

 quire to be specially protected, and after that, while the sowings 

 are establishing themselves, the seedlings have to be kept out of 

 danger, their growth directly encouraged and casualties promptly 

 repaired. 



ARTICLE 1. 

 Protection of the seeds sown. 



As long as the seeds have not germinated, they are liable to be 

 eaten up by animals or killed by unfavourable weather influences 

 during the process of germination. 



As regards the various animals that devour seed, sowing at the 

 right time often diminishes their ravages, if it does not entirely 

 save the seeds. Thus, in the Himalayas, seeds sown just before 

 snow falls, are efi'ectually protected against insects, rats and most 

 other predatory animals. And, in a general manner, it may bd 

 said that the shorter the time during which the seeds are allowed 

 to lie before germination is completed, the better for their safety. 

 Seeds sown at the beginning of the season of vegetation should 

 undergo a little forcing. If birds are troublesome, they ought to 

 be scared away by men armed with guns and moving about conti- 

 nually. There are some seeds the embryo of which, even after 

 germination has begun, takes some time to come out of the testa. 

 In this condition the embryo becomes sweetish and is attacked by 

 small ants. Such seeds, besides having their germination forced, 

 should be soaked in a solution of some drug avoided by those 

 insects. 



Among unfavourable weather influences, if every possible pre- 

 caution has been taken to sow at the right time, drought is the 

 only one to be feared, and against it we are helpless, unless we can 

 irrigate or water. If in spite of every precaution, the seeds first 

 sown have been killed on any large scale, our only resource is to 

 sow again at once, provided a suflficiently long period of the season 

 of vegetation is still remaining. 



ARTICLE 2. 



Peotbction of the seedlings. 



Protbotion against animals. — It is impossible to secure com- 

 plete immunity against animals. Grazing should of course be 

 rigidly excluded, even at the expense of putting up fences. Against 



