Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1881-10-13
Saving Forest Tree Seeds.

Those who may contemplate raising
forest tree seedlings next year should
make preparations for gathering a sup
ply of seeds this fall. Millions of trees
are needed for planting on the Western
prairies, and while nurserymen are
ready to supply the demand, there are
many farmers needing trees of various
kinds who can not afford to purchase
them. To such we say raise stock for
yourself from seed. As rule, forest
tree seedlings of one years growth can
be raised for about one dollar per thou
sand by the farmer on his own grounds,
and at this price he can certainly afford
to keep on hand an abundant supply,
and plant wherever and whenever an
opportunity presents. OF course, we do
not say that all kinds can be raised at
this price, for with chestnuts, black
walnuts, butternuts, and similar nut
bearing trees, the seed alone might cost
the sum named, or more; but there are
scores of other species which can be OBJ
tanned at such cheap rates as to bring
good variety of trees within the limit of
one dollar per thousand plants when
one year old. Naples, elms, ash, bass
wood, and similar common species can,
under ordinary circumstances, be pro-
duced, including the cost of gathering
the seed, sowing and cultivating the
plants for one season, at a cost not ex-
ceeding fifty cents per thousand, if
raised in any considerable numbers.
The first and most important step is
to secure the seed at the right time,
and preserve them until the season ar
rives for sowing. The largest proper
ton of our forest-tree seeds ripen in
autumn, but there are few, such as the
elms, silver and red maple, which ma
ture in summer, and are of such delicate
structure that they will not retain their
vitality beyond few weeks; hence the
necessity of sowing them Immediately.
The seeds of all the various kinds ripen-
ing in autumn may be readily preserved
over winter and sown in spring, or they
may be put into the ground soon after
gathering; but owing to the great num-
Der OF natural enemies of tree seeds,
there is far greater risk in sowing In fall
than in spring. Vermin of various kinds
prey upon such seeds, which are the nat
ural food of many species of small ami
mails, as well as insects, and in order to
protect them against the attacks of
these, it is best to preserve all in some
safe place until the following spring,
1uu tucu SOW Ill WILLIS VI IOWS Ill UtlC
same manner as the gardener sows his
peas, carrots, and similar vegetables,
varying the depth of covering to CORE
spond with the size of the seeds sown.
Some of the larger nuts may be covered
two inches, while the smaller seeds
should not be buried more than one
fourth of an inch, and with light soil.
AS it would be impracticable to men
ION hvvp of froo ind
genOus to North America, we will mere
" refer to the leading members of the
principal families, and describe the best
and most simple way of preserving their
seeds over winter.
With all the coarse, hard-shelled nuts,
such as hickory, butternut and black
in the fall, mix with a little ordinary
soil, and leave them in heaps exposed to
frosts and rains. If there are squirrels
about, put the heaps in frames and cover
with boards until the ground freezes;
then the squirrels will not be likely to
dig into the frozen ground in their
search for nuts. Chestnuts, beachnuts,
acorns, and our various species of horse
chestnuts are far more delicate than the
harder-shelled kinds and require very
careful handling and attention in order
to prevent spelling during the winter
months. When gathered and the outer
shells or husks are removed, leave them
spread out in the shade for a few days,
or until they begin to feel dry, but have
not commenced to shrink; then place
them in large shallow boxes between
LAYERS of clean sand free from clay or
sticky loan. All that is required is just
enough sand to separate the nuts fairly,
because if crowded together they will
heat and soon begin to decay. A con-
venient way to mix is to put a thin layer
of sand on the bottom of the box, then
a layer of nuts, another layer of sand,
following in this order until the box or
boxes are filed. If the weather should
be warm at the time, set the boxes in
some shady, cool place until the ap-
proach of cold weather; then remove
them to dry knoll where the water will
not accumulate in winter, and there
bury the boxes containing the nuts, COW
ering over the top to the depth of five
or six inches. They should be slightly
raised in the middle, in order to prevent
too much water settling in the boxes.
The boxes should not be water-tight,
but sufficiently open at the bottom to
admit of perfect drainage. No further
care will be required, and if the nuts
were sound when put in, they will gen.
orally come out in the spring unchanged,
and be in excellent condition for plant
ing, which should always be done at the
earliest moment after the frost is out of
the ground. If it is desirable to retard
the sprouting of the nuts in the spring,
the boxes should be buried on the north
side of some building, and if there is
likely to be too much water in the
ground, then the boxes may be merely
set on the surface, and the soil banked
up around and over them. The object
in covering or burying is to keep the
contents just moist, and at an even cool
temperature, from fall until spring. We
have kept the common sweet chestnut
from November until the following
April without the least apparent change,
and when planted it sprouted as readily
as 1t would have done when first taken
from the tree