56 WESTERN YELLOW PINE IN ARIZONA AND NEW MEXICO. 
SEED COLLECTION AND EXTRACTION. 
Before sowing or planting on a large scale one of the most im- 
portant steps is to secure for a reasonable cost seed of good germi- 
nating power. The cost per pound of collecting and cleaning 1,335 
pounds of seed on the Coconino National Forest in 1908-9 was as 
follows: 





Galerie: > COMES 2 es si ee, Sestak oe $0. 576 
Drying, and “separatinign os 2. es she ees Se ee Oil 
Cleaning ee eae ieee eee so aA lp oa eae ao ames . 046 
BO ENY G) 961s) 01 pinem ee a ae Mim ae Whee NE cee ee a yh ea ate . O86 
Potal es Leek se ee ee . 909 
Later, in 1909, the total cost of securing seed on the Coconino 
Forest was reduced to 53.3 cents a pound, due to the opportunity 
which was presented of collecting seed where logging was in progress. 
At elevations of approximately 7,000 to 7,500 feet on rolling mesa 
land the collection of western yellow pine cones may usually be 
begun on September 20 and continue until November 10. To collect 
economically it is necessary to establish a regular seed-collection 
camp, and have a large crew of men to push the work rapidly. 
The best time for collecting the seed is when the cones are beginning 
to turn brown, but before they commence to open. On any area 
where lumbering operations are in progress the cones can be secured 
very cheaply without interfering with the logging. The cone should 
be removed from the tree as soon as it is filled; otherwise they may 
open and considerable seed be lost. Occasionally it is practicable to 
collect western yellow pine seed from squirrel hoards. Two-bushel 
sacks are convenient for collecting purposes, but care should be taken 
that needles and débris are not mixed with the cones. To allow for 
expansion the sacks should be only half filled. When the cones are 
gathered and sacked they should be hauled to the camp and spread 
out on the drying rack with free air circulation around and through 
each sack, which should be shaken thoroughly once a day. Should 
a storm come up during the drying process, the sacks should be 
covered, since if the cones absorb moisture drying will be materially 
delayed. 
To separate the seed from the opened cones, a box 4 by 4 by 3 
feet on an axis suspended from a wooden frame should be con- 
structed. Two sides of the box should have numerous one-fourth 
to three-fourths inch holes through which the seed can sift when the 
box is turned. The box should be protected from the wind and 
provision made for the seed to drop onto a canvas underneath. 
As the cones open farther they should again be churned until all 
the seed is extracted. When dry, about 15 pounds of seed at a time 
should be placed in a washtub and tramped until the wings have 





