FOREST, FISH AND GAME COMMISSIONER. 147 



Thirty-six beds were sown this year as follows: 



White pine 12 beds 



Red pine 9 beds 



Scotch pine g beds 



Bull pine 3 beds 



Red spruce 1 bed 



English larch 1 bed 



Japanese larch 1 bed 



36 beds 



These seed beds were sown from May 18th to May 26th inclusive. We 

 had found that a leaf mulch, to secure germination, was not all that might 

 be desired, especially in connection with our wire seed bed boxes. We, there- 

 fore, enclosed the box tightly by covering with thick paper around the sides 

 and filling the openings in the lath shade cover with loose laths. This 

 made a tight box, retaining moisture, a hot air chamber with a fairly uni- 

 form temperature, partially dark, which produced even better germination 

 than we secured with mulch. It was also a further advantage, in that the 

 covers could be raised at any time and the progress of germination noted; 

 there was also no injury or loss to seedlings, as is the case when mulch is 

 removed. The result is that we are, at present, growing not less than 10,000 

 seedlings in a bed four feet by twelve feet, and have grown 23,000 trees in 

 such a bed. We will work for greater density in seed bed management just 

 as soon as we can solve the fertilizer problem. Better germination is 

 secured by pressing the seeds into the soil, so that they will rest even with 

 the surface of the bed, before covering with dirt. The wire boxes are not 

 expensive, as they cost us three dollars and twenty cents per bed, includ- 

 ing lath shade complete. They can be used for at least six years, with 

 proper care, without repair, which makes their cost approximately five 

 cents per thousand trees produced. This five cents with us, on account 

 of the birds, means the difference between success and failure of the 

 seed bed. 



Next after germination comes " damping off." We are working on 

 a very light sandy soil, which does not produce the most vigorous growth 



