The Western advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1872-1874, 1874-04-25
Forest Trees from Seed.

parts of the country subject of great i'm.
portance. Trees for timber, fuel, shade
and shelter are needed in all prairie coun
tries, and while we appreciate the great
necessity for tree planting, and would
urge everyone, East or West, to consider
whether timber is not the best crop he
can put upon parts of his land, we have
not had so much to say about raising
trees from seed as perhaps our friends
think they have a right to expect. We
would not lead our readers into expert
ments that II not expensive are likely to
be fruitless. How many persons opening
up new farm on the prairie can find
time to take proper care Of a vegetable or
q flower garden? Yet the raising of trees
from seed demands as much or more care
than do vegetables or flowers, and our
hardy white pine and other evergreens
require in their early years much greater
attention than delicate flower. Pre-
missing that we advise no one to under.
take to grow trees from seed unless he is
quite able to give them as much care as
the same number of lettuces or cabbages.
we give few condensed notes which will
answer many inquiries.
Evergreens we cannot advise the ordi-
nary farmer to undertake to raise from
seed; they require so much care in shad-
ing and otherwise, and small plants are
sold by those who make business of
growing them at such low rates, that we
are sure that ninety-nine in one hundred
will find it much more satisfactory in the
end to purchase. We therefore confine
our remarks to deciduous trees.
Tree Seeds that Must Be Sown as Soon
as Ripe-Soft or red and silver maple,
elm, and red birch. If kept exposed even
for q few days after they are gathered
their vitality will be destroyed. These
seeds are not generally kept by scedsmen,
though some take orders in advance to be
! filled when the seeds ripen. Those who
wish to sow seeds of these should arrange
beforehand with some friend to gather
them, or dealer to supply them, and be
prepared to sow the day they are received.
The plants come up at once, and make
nice young trees by fall.
Tree Seeds To Be Sown in Place-that
is, the. seed to be sown where the tree
is to stand-include the different hick-
cries, the butternut, and black walnut.
The seeds are collected in fall, made into
heaps, and covered with sods, over which
are thrown several inches of earth. In
the spring the nuts are sOWn in place,
putting in. two or three near together, and
ii all start remove all but one.
Trees that Must Be Transplanted when
Small.-The chestnut, beech, and oaks of
all kinds are to be sown in seed bed and
transplanted the first or second autumn.
The nuts are to be kept during winter,
mixed with at least an equal bulk of sand.
in cool place where they will not get
too dry.
Seeds of Trees that May Be Sown in
Fau.-Ash of various species, liQuidam-
bar, tulip tree, cucumber and other mag
nolias. These may ALSO be sown in
spring if properly kept through the
winter in sand.
Seeds Better Sown in Spring, But They
Should Be Carefully Kept Through the
| Winter in Sand-Maples of all kinds, in
Guiding the ash-leaf or box elder, and ex-
cepting the silver and soft; birches, ex-
cept the red, Eastwood, Kentucky coffee
tree, ailanthus, catalpa, paulownia.
| Seeds Needing Preparation Before Sow.
ing in Spring.-Osage orange, scald' and
keep warm and moist until it sprouts !;
buttonball, soak; honey locust and com
mon or black locust, scald.
| Trees Grown from Cuttings.-All viii.
lows and pop1ars from branches an inch
| and less in diameter; ailanthus and pau
lownia from cuttings of the root.
Seeding trees require just as careful
thinning and wedding as a crop of car
rots. If they suffer from the heat of the
| sun stick brush with the leaves on all over
the bed sufficiently thick to give proper
shade, or use screen of laths.
| The leading tree seeds are kept by most
| eeedmen -Afnertrnn AnrsnnIo,nsot