beech, and other nuts which require much care in keeping are also often sown in fall; while conifers, which ripen late, 

 are mostly kept till spring. Fall sowings sprout earlier in spring, and the seedlings are therefore more liable to danger 

 from late spring frosts. Even temperature being most favorable for sprouting, the choice of time in spring varies accord- 

 ing to the locality and the season, when the weather becomes settled. Middle of April to May is probably a mean or 

 average time. 



Quantity of Seed. — The quantity of seed to be used on a given area, or the room needed for a given quantity of 

 seed, depends on the size of the seed as well as on its quality. Consideration should also be given to the rapidity of 

 development of the seedlings and the length of time they are to remain in the seed-bed. Deciduous trees require more 

 room the first year than conifers. The number of seeds per pound allows a fair estimate of the comx>arative room required, 

 making allowance for quality. (Poor seed and of kinds which produce much immature seed, like elm and larch, must 

 be sown more thickly.) The number of lineal feet of drill per ounce of seed varying of course according to quality Qf 

 seed, may be roughly stated as follows: Ash, maple, honey locust, cherry, and similar seeds 20 to 2.5 feet drill per ounce ; 

 catalpa, elm, alder, birch, etc., 40 to 45 feet ; pines (very variable in size) and spruces from 30 to 60 feet, mostly the latter ; 

 firs with a small per cent, of germinating seed may be sown as thick as 1 ounce to 10 feet of drill, and larch, 1 ounce to 

 25 or 30 feet. Black locust, with a high per cent, of germination and vigorous development the first year, not less than 

 40 feet; one pound of chestnuts, acorns, hickory nuts, will require 10 to 12 feet drill; 1 pound of walnuts may require 5 

 feet. 



MetliOfl of Sowing'. — Sowing in drills is preferable to broadcast sowing, because it can be done more even and 

 the plants can be more easily cared for by weeding, loosening the soil, mulching, thinning out, as well as more readily 

 moved for transplanting. 



A distance between the drills of 4 inches is sufficient for conifer seedlings remaining one or two years in the seed-bed ; 

 deciduous tree seeds, which develop rapidly during the first year, require a distance between the drills of 9 to 12 inches. 



As to width of drill, one seeded so as to produce a single row of plants is preferable to a broader drill with many 

 plants; although more plants are grown on the same space in the latter case, thej^ are as a rule not as strong and vigor- 

 ously developed. 



Make drills across the bed by pressing the soil down with the edge of a lath or board of proper width, or for deeper 

 drills, with a stick or hoe or other suitable tool. 



In sowing, a piece of cardboard bent at right angle or a trough made of two light strips of wood nailed lengthwise 

 at right angle will do service in evenly distributing the seed. 



The depth of the drill, or what is the same the depth to which the seed is to be covered, depends on the size of the 

 seed. 



The object of covering the seed, besides excluding the light and as a protection against the birds, etc., is to prevent 

 the drying out of the seed and later of the plant germ as it pushes up. The covering must be thin enough to allow the 

 air to penetrate to the seed, and the germ to push through to the light. Better too little than too much cover. Too much 

 cover is tlie death of many seeds, and at least results in retarding germination, smaller number and weaker plants. 



• The following are the maximum depths to which the seeds mentioned may be covered with loose soil, and which may 

 serve as guide for other seeds : 



Oak, chestnuts IJ to 2i inches; maple ^ to f of an inch ; black locust (an exception to the rule) will stand and pro- 

 duce best results with a cover of 2 inches ; alder i to i of an inch; spruce, Scotch pine, and larch li^ to i^ of an inch ; 

 Austrian jiine f of an inch; birch and elm as thin as possible (a cover of i an inch prevents germination entirely.) 



The drills may be covered to advantage with other material than the soil of the seed-bed, such as garden mold mixed 

 with sand, sod-ashes, sawdust, which keep loose and moist and aiford additional plant food. The covering material is 

 tilled into the drills, heaped full and then pressed down gently (firmed,) to bring seed and soil into close contact, which 

 helps to supply the moisture. 



Fall sowings may be covered more heavily. A cover of sphagnum moss, ])owdered for small seeds, makes an excellent 

 cover, being light and retaining moisture. But care must be taken to make this cover not too thick or to replace it with 

 soil when the seed has germinated, in order to avoid the spindling growth to which the plantlet would be forced through 

 the thick cover. 



If the soil is in proper condition, fresh or moist, no watering is required, but if water seems necessary it is better to 

 apply it before sowing. 



After-care. — During the period of sprouting, w^iich may last from two to four weeks in the average, the only care 

 necessary is to prevent the soil from drying out. Especially after the seed has begun to swell the supply of moisture 

 must be even and constant. Small seeds naturally dry out more easily than large, and therefore require closer attention. 

 The moisture supply is kept even by Avatering, or better by covering with mulch, which prevents evaporation, or with 

 lath screens, described further on. 



Watering should be avoided as long as possible, but must'be resorted to if the soil becomes dry and then must be kept 

 up until rainy weather occurs, since, by watering, the soil becomes packed and liable to dry out more rapidly than before. 

 The watering is best done evenings with a very fine rose. Large seeds require less water, small seeds generally most • 

 except conifer.", which can get along with very little. In fact, the greatest care must be taken with these not to give too 



