5 



soon, according to the species, and the longer they are kept the smaller the per- 

 •entage that grow. If seed has to be stored, it should be carefully dried, either in 

 the sun or in a dryer, kept free from moisture, and prevented from getting heated 

 by placing it where it can get air, and where it can be turned over occasionally. 



Origin. The vigour of seeds, and of the resulting seedlings, depends generally 

 on their being the offspring of healthy trees in the prime of life which have 

 attained their main height and full crowns of foilage, and often more especially on 

 the fact of the trees growing on favourable soil and in a suitable climate. 



Testing seeds. The quality of seeds can very often be fairly tested by putting 

 them into water, when only those that are well developed sink ; those that float 

 should be rejected. 



When the percentage of good seeds is required accurately, 100 seeds in number 

 may be taken at random, placed on the earth in a flower-pot, and covered with 

 moss. The flower- pot should be put inside a larger one containing water, and 

 placed in the dark ; as the seeds germinate, they are removed and the number 

 noted. Or, they may be placed between two pieces of damp flannel which are 

 connected with a dish of water. 



CONDITIONS OF GERMINATION. 



Water, The most important condition for the successful germination of seeds 

 is a constant but moderate supply of water. The soil, also, should be loose 

 enough, naturally or by preparation, to allow the roots to spread easily. 



Depth. Some seeds will only germinate on the surface of the ground, when 

 shaded by short grass, others require only the slightest covering of earth, and 

 others again germinate best, when buried at various depths according, to the 

 species. The seed can be covered, when sown broadcast, by raking, hoeing, or by 

 scattering fine earth on it. 



Time. Seeds vary very much in the time they take to germinate. The seeds of 

 the Mangrove germinate in the pod, those of the Naseberry Bully Tree as soon as 

 their fruits fall from the tree, those of Juniper Cedar only after months, whilst 

 some other seeds take years to germinate In order to hasten the germination, 

 variousexpedients have been adopted, such as soaking in water for lengths of time 

 ranging from an hour to several weeks, filing the hard seed-cout, etc. 



RAISING PLANTS FROM SEED. 



It may be possible sometimes to transplant seedlings from existing woods, but 

 as these are generally found in parts which are thickly stocked, they are not well 

 developed, and do not yield good results. 



It is much better to raise plants on a large scale in regular nurseries. The 

 most suitable soil is a sandy loam of good depth, and well worked ; if too rich or 

 too damp, seedlings will lose vigour when transplanted into less fertile ground. 

 The site should be as near as possible to the centre of the area to be planted. It is 

 important that it should be where water can be led on from a spring or can be 

 easily brought into the nursery. Irrigation channels between the beds are the 

 best method of watering. The nursery should be kept quite free from weeds. 



The area of the nursery depends on the species, the method of treatment, the 

 number of plants, whether they are pricked out or not, and the age at which they 

 are finally removed. For raising two-year-old seedlings of Scotch Pine or Spruce, 

 the area of the nursery is usually about £ per cent, of the area to be annually 

 planted at 4 feet apart ; if the two-year-old seedlings are pricked out, and remain 

 for another two years, the nursery should comprise at least 4 per cent of the area 

 to be planted annually. 



The seed-beds should be laid out about 4 feet wide and of the requisite length, 

 with pathways between. The seeds are sown in rows from 6 inches to a foot 

 apart. The young seedlings generally require shading, fronds of fern stuck into 

 the seed-bed answer tnc purpose ; or screens may be made of laths with spaces 

 between, or of osnaburgh stretched on a rectangular light frame, — and fixed a few 

 inches above the surface. 



In some cases the seedlings are taken direct from the seed-bed to the forest ; in 

 others they are transplanted otice or several times in the nursery before they are 

 finally put out. The former are called "seedlings" the latter " transplants." 



Seedlings which are to be planted out must be grown with plenty of room in 

 the seed-beds, so that they may develop properly ; plants which are to be pricked 

 out in the nursery may stand closer together in the seed beds. 



