The Portland daily press., 1878-10-09
AGRICULTURAL.
Forest Trees From seed.


There being growing interest in forestry,
and often inquiries concerning seed and
planting the same, perhaps few suggestions
may be acceptable to some reader. To grow
forest trees from seed is no very difficult mat
ter, provided we work according to natural
laws. Ii we attempt to bend them too much
we find that they snap and break, although
they are quite flexible in the hands of one
who complies with natures requirements.
To insure success slight knowledge of the
characteristics OF different species of trees and
their seeds is essential. We not only need to
know how to plant seeds, but it is requisite
that we know when they ripen, and how to
preserve them, il necessary, until we are
prepared to plant them. There really are no
secrets connected with these operations; still
very many persons who would avail them
selves OF the advantages of tree and seed
painting, are, comparatively speaking, entire
ly ignorant of the simplest methods of grow
ing trees from seed. How many Of my read
ers, who have lived almost under the shade
OF the elm, maple and oak, can tell at what
time OF the year the seed ripens? Instances
OF want of such observation are not rare, but
will be found plentiful in every community,
which only goes to show that very many of
us acquire knowledge slowly, when no special
incentive is offered, except the desire of pos
sesssing it. l offer in the following notes
few OF our common forest tree seeds.
The blossom buds usually are the first
thing to show themselves on our common
elms in the spring, and the seeds begin to
iall soon after the leaves put forth. In this
climate usually the seed is fully ripe the first
nall OF June, or earlier, depending upon sea-
sons. The seeds show conspicuously when
tney fail on the ground. 1t is better to SOW
the seeds at once, but they may be preserved
to the following season by covering them in
SAND, little moist, just enough to prevent
the seed from drying out. Planted at once
IN good, fair soil, covered about half an
inch deep and kept suitably moist, they GER
inmate soon, and make good plants the first
season. The seeds are light and delicate in
their structure, and need to be treated &C.
cordingly.
Different varieties of the maple ripen their
eeds at different seasons. The silver and
red naples rpen their seeds soon after the
tees come fully in leaf, usually during the
month of June Being very delicate, it is
very difficult, almost impossible, to keep them
sound tor even few months, consequentysit
is essential that they be sowed as soon
as they are ripe. Sowed in good mellow
soil they will terminate within week, usual
ly. and the young trees will make a good
growth the first season. The sugar, English,
Norway, negundo, and other species of ma
pies. native or introduced, ripen their seeds in
autumn, and these may be sowed at once or
mixed with sand and kept where they
will not dry out till the following spring.
Perhaps this last would be the better
way in Northern localities, as the
severity of winter somestimes Injuries the Vi
tally of the seed, if left in the open ground.
The young plants will also grow more rapidly
in freshly prepared soil than in such as has
been rendered compact by the storms of
winter. The ash ripens its seeds in the fall.
and these are best sowed in good, deep, and
rather moist SOIL Scatter the seeds thinly:
they grow readily, and are not difficult of pre-
servation for months, if not allowed to get
DRIED out. Keep them in sand suitably
moist.
The seeds Of oak trees, well known as
acorns, ripen and fall in the autumn. and
should be Immediately gathered and sowed,
or mixed with sand, and kept in cool place
till spring. As good way as any is to plant
Immediately, scattering the acorn sin shallow
drill. and then barely cover with leaf mould,
or other light soil, and at the approach of
winter, add an inch or two more of covering,
We are all supposed to know when chestnuts
are ripe, as all boys are fond of chestnutipg
after the fall frosts open the burs, These
may be treated the same as acorns, but as
field mice are very fond of them, precautions
should be used to keep the mice from DESTROY
ing them. The chestnuts may be preserved
till spring by mixing them in moist sand in a
box and burying them in the ground during
winter, when they will come out in spring
fresh and sound. Many other tree seeds NAV
be preserved similarly, the object being to
keep vitality intact till planted. - CORRESPOND
ent Country Gentleman.