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the plant, but not striking closer than three inches. This mode is very successful ; it is 

 carried on without preparing the soil, and answers in stony ground, on account of the 

 strength of the spade. 



On the Harz Mountains (the scene of many a supernatural legend) are vast forests 

 of spruce, kept with much care. One remarkable point in the management is the Gov- 

 ernment seed-drying kiln at Westerhof, for getting the spruce seed out of the cones and 

 cleaning it of wings, -which is carried on here extensively, the spruce being plentiful, of 

 excellent growth, and producing exceptionally good seed. The cones are collected by 

 contract work, and varies according to the seasons, if plentiful or otherwise, and generally 

 enables the workman to earn 50 cents to 75 cents per day. After all the Government 

 stores are filled, private persons are allowed to collect, for which the person has to pay a 

 small sum per season. In the cones the seed remains good from seven to eight years. 

 The Government kiln turns out about 180 cwts. per season, while private parties in good 

 seasons have turned out as much as 1,600 cwts. besides. The cones, when first brought 

 in, are stored in large rooms, with perforated walls, so as to admit a free current of air 

 through them. 



The kiln itself consists of three rooms, the centre one of which is heated by means of 

 a large oven, from which large iron pipes, six inches in diameter, pass twice through the 

 room before they enter the chimney. This room is separated by walls, in which there are 

 holes of nine inches, from the two outer rooms, in which the cones are being dried. By 

 means of these holes, which can be closed at pleasure, the temperature in the drying room 

 is regulated, and kept between 122 and 128 Fahrenheit. The drying is done in large 

 wire drums, out of which the seed falls on the floor of the room. There are twelve in 

 each room, and are turned from the outside of the room, where it is cooler. They are 

 filled in the evening, the temperature got up, and so left for the night. The next morn- 

 ing the fire is lit again, and the drums being turned every half hour, by night the cones 

 are empty. Half the cones are used to heat the kiln ; the rest sold for fuel. It costs 

 Government about six cents per pound. What is not needed is sold at nine. 



It is noticeable that the spruce wodd, among other uses, is ground into pulp for 

 paper manufacture, several mills in the Harz Mountains being employed in this manner. 

 It might be worth consideration whether, under an improved system of forestry, the 

 waste wood left in such quantities in hewing and score-hacking could be, in our great 

 Canadian spruce forests, so employed. 



It will be well to give an account of the method of reproducing and caring for spruce 

 forests, both because our own forests will soon need replanting, and to give some idea of 

 the care taken in maintaining woodland property in foreign lands. 



Natural reproduction of the spruce is seldom attempted, as too slow and uncertain ; 

 but if there are thriving naturally some clumps of any extent, they are kept up. Almost 

 all spruce forests are regulated high forests, with complete clearings, either re-sown, 

 which is still preferred by some, or planted, which is by far the most general mode of 

 establishing or re-establishing spruce forests. If sown, lines about two feet in width are 

 prepared by clearing the weeds, etc., oS the ground, and placing this at the edge of the 

 lines to prevent the wind blowing among the seed, or rain washing them ofi". The soil on 

 these strips is sometimes loosened and left as it is if the seed is to be sown broadcast. If 



