NURSERY AND PLANTING. 



101 



there is the conveniency of hot-house flues being kept mode- 

 rately warm, seeds may be obtained in large quantities. We 

 have often extracted considerable quantities of coniferous seeds 

 by the simple process of placing the cones in baskets, sieves, 

 or shallow boxes, having a large sheet of coarse paper spread 

 over their bottoms on which the cones are placed. These are 

 then placed on the top of the flues in the pine-stoves, vineries, 

 or in any other house of equal temperature. Once a-day they 

 are examined, and the seeds which have dropped out on the 

 paper are removed and sprinkled with a little water. They 

 are then laid on a table in the seed-room, until a sufficiency be 

 extracted to fill a bag or drawer, when they are reserved till 

 sown. Seeds of the larch, stone-pine, pineaster, &c., are 

 readily obtained by this process. When the quantity to be ob- 

 tained is considerable, the cone-kiln, as described by Sang, and 

 which is the most general in use, is much to be preferred, and 

 is as follows : — " The cone-kiln is constructed after the manner 

 of a common malt-kiln, the bearers should be about nine feet 

 disi:ant from the fire, and two inches apart. A hair-cloth is 

 spread over them from side to side of the kiln, and the cones 

 are laid on it to the thickness of twelve or fourteen inches. A 

 gentle fire is then applied, and regularly kept up till the cones 

 become opened. During the time of drying, the cones must 

 be frequently turned upon the kiln, and when the seeds begin 

 to drop out, they must be removed to a dry barn, and sifted 

 till all the seeds which are loose fall out, and are taken from 

 among the cones. The cones are afterwards to be thrashed 

 severely with flails, and sifted as before, and so on, till the 

 seeds are taken out as completely as possible." 



This we look upon as by far the most safe method of sepa- 

 rating the seeds from the cones, and requires only care in the 

 application of the fire-heat ; which, if it be too violent, would 

 not only scorch and dry up the seeds and render them useless, 

 but from the quantity of resinous matter contained in the cones 

 might set fire to the whole fabric. As an improvement upon 

 this plan, we would suggest, as has been recommended by 

 Sang, the operation of splitting the cones previously to their 

 being laid on the kiln, the extra expence of this operation will 

 oe more than repaid in the extra quantity of good seed. 



