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EXTRACTING AND CLEANING FOREST TREE SEED. 6 
be on hand as soon as the first cones are received. The short period 
during which sun drying can be employed makes any delay in start- 
ing the work inadvisable. 
The first requisite is a supply of 12 by 14 feet, 8-ounce canvas dry- 
ing sheets. These are used both for spreading and covering the cones. 
If canvas sheets are not available wagon covers, tents, tent flies, 
burlap, and heavy muslin are substitutes. A sufficient number of 
drying sheets at the outset is essential, and their shortage has hereto- 
fore been one of the greatest drawbacks to successful work. 
If trays or raised platforms are to be used in drying, in connection 
with sheets. these should also be ready when the cones are received. 
One or more shovels and wooden rakes should be available. 
SELECTION Or SITE. 
The site for open-air drying must be carefully selected. An open 
place on top of a low ridge or bench is usually preferable. Small 
openings surrounded by bodies of timber are not suitable, because the 
trees prevent good circulation of air. The ground should be level, 
or, preferably, sloping gently toward the south, and should be thor- 
oughly cleared of brush, weeds, stones, and other rubbish before work 
begins. If no favorable site can be found in the neighborhood of 
the collecting area or if it is anticipated that drying can not be com- 
pleted before wet and cold weather sets in it may be best to select a 
site at a lower altitude, where drying will be more rapid and can be 
continued until a later date. The facilities for transporting the cones 
must, of course, be considered. 
SPREADING THE CONES. 
Before spreading cones for drying it is advisable to run them over 
a coarse screen to separate loose sticks, twigs, stones, dirt, needles, 
and other débris. If this is not done such material becomes mixed 
with the seed and makes future cleaning more difficult. 
After the cones have been cleaned they should be spread on the 
canvas sheets in a thin layer, ordinarily not more than one cone deep, 
so that all are exposed to the air. They should be raked over at least 
once a day in order that all parts of the cones may be exposed to 
both sun and wind. If lack of space makes it necessary to spread 
to a greater depth, the cones should be raked or shoveled at least 
four times a day. Cones should never be piled deep. Considerable 
seed is usually obtained from the cones by raking while drying, 
especially during the hottest part of the day, but further extraction 
is nearly always necessary. — 
Keeping cones off the ground.—In continued dry weather good 
results can be obtained by spreading the sheets directly upon the 
