The Aldkr. 



does for many purposes under cover; and the tree grows 

 in places in which trees producing better timber will not 

 grow. 



96. Like all other trees, the Alder may be raised from 

 seed. It bears what is called a katkin, like the Willow, 

 the Nut, and the Birch, This katkin is green, in the first 

 place; it afterwards becomes brown, and it will, if suffered 

 to do it, hang on the tree till the next Spring. When it is 

 dry, rub it to pieces, and you will see the little flat seeds, 

 each with a sort of wing to it. A single katkin contains, 

 perhaps, a thousand seeds or more. The katkins need 

 not, however, be rubbed to pieces, until it be time to sow 

 the seeds, because the seed keeps best in the katkin. 



97. The seed of the Alder may be gathered from the tree, 

 as soon as it is dry ; then made perfectly dry in the sim or be- 

 fore a fire ; and then put into a bag or box and kept in a dry 

 place. The time of sowing is the month of March or April; 

 but as to the manner of sowing, that will be found to be 

 described under the head of Birch. When the plants are 

 up, manage them in the same manner as directed for the 

 Birch. But there is another and more common mode of 

 managing the Alder; that is to say, not to raise plants 

 from seed ; but, from cuttings of about two feet long, and 

 about the size of a common broom-stick. These are cut at 

 any time between the months of October and March, and 

 are planted, in a sloping direction, in beds or plantations, 

 where they stand at about four feet apart in every direc- 

 tion. But care must be taken not to leave too much of the 

 cutting above ground; perhaps five or six inches are 

 quite enough. Here the plants grow, sending out several 

 shoots, which are all to be cut down close alter two years* 

 growth, and the next shoots grow up to poles. 



