F. W. SCHUMACHER _. : ; ; . Jamaica Plain, Mass. 
JUNIPERUS VIRGINIANA and most other Juniper seeds, if handled the natural 
way, are not difficult to germinate. Juniperus virginiana naturally regenerates in 
grass sod either from seed cleaned through digestion of berries eaten by birds or from 
berries dropped from the plants. There is but nominal germination the first season. 
The bulk of seed remains dormant for an entire season and germinates the second 
spring after having gone through the process of breakdown of the hard seed coat by 
bacterial action during the warm part of the year and subsequent after-ripening 
during the fall and winter months. 
After-ripening temperatures alone will not prepare the seed for germination 
and exposure of seed to the warm and humid soil conditions at summer temperatures 
is required to break down the hard seed coat. This means that nurserymen cannot 
expect germination from fall sown seed the first spring. With the seed coats being 
intact the first winter there can be no after-ripening of seeds in the bed. After- 
ripening starts after breakdown of seed coats. 
For practical purposes seed may be planted at any time as late as the first of 
June so that soil conditions, as they prevail during the summer months, may cause 
the deterioration of seed coat, thus preparing the seed part for the necessary after- 
ripening period during the cold months of the year for germination the following 
spring. It does not much matter whether clean seed or berries are sown. If berries 
are thoroughly dried they should be soaked before planting in warm water to which 
some detergent had been added. Seed should be sown in a bed prepared with a 
layer of friable soil mixture, two to three inches thick, consisting of humus matter 
or a mixture of humus and sand. Seed sown on a bed of mineral soil and covered 
with it is apt to rot in the course of after-ripening. 
THE TRUE MORUS ALBA, White Mulberry, has been much neglected in 
preference to its hardier but less ornamental cousin Morus alba tatarica. Morus 
alba has leaves twice or three times the size of the tatarica variety and with its 
bright green foliage makes an outstanding ornamental and shade tree. It is reliably 
hardy in Southern New England. 
ROSA MULTIFLORA—There has been considerable debate concerning the use 
of the thorny variety as a living fence around suburban properties. Such fence, if 
not restricted, will take in time a considerable lot of space. Property owners may 
despair keeping such thorny a proposition under restrictive pruning. The thornless 
variety, with its more upright habit, is obviously the answer as it can be kept pruned 
with ease. It is not absolutely unarmed. The foliage retains the prickles and affords 
a measure of hostility during the summer months. A well kept hedge is quite a 
sight when in bloom. 
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