NURSERY PRACTICE FOR PRAIRIE-PLAINS PLANTING 



85 



passed. This is done to permit better heat penetration and aeration 

 of the soil surrounding the seed. After this initial treatment, fall 

 sowings are handled the same as spring sowings. 



A knowledge of the germinating habits of the individual species is 

 essential if the nurseryman is to determine correctly the proper time 

 to remove the ridge. Progress of germination in the nursery ha,s a 

 similar trend to that of germination in the laboratory, as shown later 

 in table 22, except that it is frequently much faster under favorable 

 conditions. When germination of the seed is largely completed within 

 a short time after the initial germination takes place, no difficulty is 



100 



10 



20 30 40 



DAYS AFTER SOWING 



50 



60 



Figure 26. 



-Typical laboratory germination of seeds after being properly 

 pre treated. 



involved. In such cases the ridge will be removed as the first sprouts 

 reach the ground level. When the seed continues germinating at an 

 even rate over a period of 2 to 4 weeks, however, as that of soapberry, 

 bur oak, and honeysuckle (fig. 26), the removal of the ridge should be 

 delayed until a fair share of the sprouting seedlings have progressed into 

 the ridge itself. Although some losses may then occur, the resulting 

 final stand will warrant this procedure. 



Removing the ridges is probably the most delicate and painstaking 

 operation of the entire nursery season. An ordinary garden rake is 

 the preferred tool in most cases, but small hand tools, in the use o( 

 which the laborer must get down on his knees, while considerably 

 slower than the rake, result in a better quality of work and are there- 

 fore justified under some conditions, especially for certain bender 

 species such as lilac. The workman down on his knees can always 



