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SAVING THE SEEDS OF TREES. 



third time to the flail, when taken off. In order 

 that the beating may prove efficacious, it is abso- 

 lutely necessary that it be commenced as soon as the 

 cones are taken off the kiln ; that is, when they are 

 hot : and it is of no use to continue it after they 

 have become completely cold. Persons who have not 

 had much experience, would do well rather to sub- 

 ject themselves to the labour of shifting and beating 

 four times, than, by keeping the cones too long on 

 the kiln at once, run the risk of entirely spoiling 

 the seed. In order that no time may be lost, it will 

 be advisable to have hands for filling the kiln with 

 new cones, and taking care of it, while others are 

 employed in beating. If the same hands that beat 

 have likewise to fill the kiln, the cones last taken off 

 will have time to cool considerably in the interval ; 

 and, again, while they are employed in beating, the 

 cones on the kiln will suffer for want of attention ; 

 while, in the third place, if the kiln be allowed to 

 remain empty, so much time is necessarily lost. 



The seed, when taken out, requires to be cleaned. 

 This is done either with a wire sieve, made for the 

 purpose, or with a riddle, such as is used for giving 

 the last dressing to barley, which is the preferable 

 implement of the two. The seed being sifted with 

 either of these, in a gentle wind, all the larger par- 



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