The Columbus journal., 1895-03-13
Growing Evergreens from Seed.

Good seed must be procured
of the previous seasons crop.
Avoid seed that is old. Make
examination and see that the
germs are plump and sound. The seed
of the pines, spruces and frs can be
tested in the winter in the same way
you would test wheat, oats or barley
to find the number of grains that will
freely germinate in given number of
seeds. Seeds of the evergreens men,
toned should be kept in cool dry
room until time to plant arrives. Soak
in warm water from twenty-four to
thirty-six hours before planting. Seeds
of the Arbor Vitae should be stratified
as soon as picked from the tree, dry
ing destroys their vitality. Red cedar
and all juniper seed should be strait
fed as soon as gathered and remain in
the stratified state one year before
planting.
The ground selected to plant ever
green seed upon should be first
class soil for corn, as free as
possible from weeds or grass.
The best way to secure this
condition is to grow q crop
of potatoes, with such culture as will
absolutely destroy everything of the
weed kind. Plow and pulverize we'll
in early autumn, then in about week
afterward throw the ground up in rough
beds running east and west. This is done
with horses and plow in such man.
ner that the beds when finished will
be four feet wide and from four to six
inches above the general level. The
alleys between the beds should be two
feet in width. Set good strong posts
eight feet apart each way over the en-
tire ground to be planted. Set them
from two and q half to three feet in
the ground and seven feet high from
the ground up. Brace the outside row
of posts all around. Then run heavy
galvanized wire on the top of each row
of posts, north and south, and east and
west, and fasten securely with a staple
on top of each post where the wires
cross. Cover the whole top with COM
mon wire lath fencing, made with one
twist of wire less than common, be-
tween the lath to bring them close to-
gether. Enclose the sides in the same
way, fastening everything securely
with staples to the posts. Instead OF
using lath, brush can be used by plac-
ing the wires two feet apart, and
weaving and tying brush to them. The
shade must be evenly distributed SO that
half or little more than half of the
rays of the sun will be intercepted.
After finishing your shading go over
all your beds with q cultivator and
then let it alone until spring comes
and the ground is dry enough to work
we'll. Scatter a liberal dressing of
wood ashes over all the beds, then pull
verize thoroughly to the depth of four
inches, finish making the beds, have
the edges straight, beds four feet wide
and an inch or SO higher in the middle
than at the edges. The soil must be
completely pulverized and absolutely
free from rubbish of every kind. You
are now ready to sow the seed; SOW
broadcast and have three CT four seeds
to the square inch. After sowing a
bed, run a common size garden roller
over it until every seed is pressed firm
into the soil. Cover the whole bed
with light colored, fine clean sand to
the depth of one quarter of an inch TO,
the spruces, Scotch pine and frs,
and about one half an inch
for So. when noliah;nC Cc;re es,ova With n,
heary stove blacking may be pr,
take ted by adding a pinch Of powdere
role