The Washington herald., 1910-07-31
GOVERNMENT SOWS
TEN TONS OF SEEDS
They viii Grow Into Trees
Oh Forest Reserves.
UNDERTAKES A BIG TASK
jack Pine, Yellow Pine, and other
Varieties Scattered Over Hills and
In Ravines of Nebraska and other
States-Hovv Seeds Are Gathered
and Handled by Department.

Over in the Department Of Agriculture
last week government officials were talk
ing about the seeds Of trees in denomina-
tions Of the ton.
They said the department would SOW
az least ten tons OF the seeds Of various
trees upon the national forest reserves
this year. Some Of it has already been
scattered upon the soil where it is ex-
pected to take root and grow trees Much
o. 1t remains 70 be sown as favorable
conditions are presented during the fall
months.
II takes a great many tree seeds TO
make ten tons. Jack pine, the most i'm
portant tree for planting in the Nebraska
sand hills by the Forest Service. viii aver
age something like $4,000 10 the pound
OF Western yellow pine. the tree most
extensively planted throughout the ma
tionaI forests. as a whole, 10000 seeds
will make a pound Altogether the ten
tons Of seed 20 be used this year rep
resent perhaps 3oOOOo,OOO single seeds.
seeds Do Not All Grow.
II every seed could be depended on to
produce a young tree suitable for plant
ing. the result would be supply Of
nursery stock sufficient 10 plant 10000
acres OF land. but no such result can be
looked for because many seeds do not
germinate. Most Of the seed will be sown.
either broadcast or in seed spots. or
planted with a cOrn-planter, directly in
the place where the trees are TO stand.
Even when nursery stock is raised
liberal allowance must be made for loss
In the first place. a considerable per-
centage Of the seeds viii be found 10 be
infertile. OF those which terminate,
many will die before they leave the nur-
sery beds, and many more will be lost
in transplanting II from pound Of
Western yellow pine seed that contains
1000 individual seeds. 1000 three-year-old
transplants are available for field plant
ing. the Department Of Agriculture has
obtained satisfactory results.
Has Tvyenty-fOur Nurseries.
There are now twenty-four national
forest nurseries. with an annual pro-
ductive capacity Of over 100000 seedlings.
But there are many millions OF old
burns on the national forests which are
waiting 10 be restocked. and some quicker
( and cheaper method than the actual
planting Of nursery-grown trees is urg-
entity needed. Therefore the foresters are
making experiments on a large scale
with different methods Of direct sowing
and planting. and most OF the seed
/ gathered last year was obtained for this
Use.
/ Broadcasting has already been found
70 give good results in some regions. 1t
was first tried in the Black Hills OF
South Dakota with an encouraging out
come. To broadcast an acre Of land
with yellow pine seed about eight pounds
Of seed is used. One Of the most fOrmid-
able drawbacks TO this method is the
extent 10 which the seed may be con-
sumed by birds and rodents. II the sea-
son happens 10 be one in which food for
these animals are scarce. the loss is
very heavy. The problem Of control OF
animal pests. such as field mice. ground
squirrels. and gophers. which eat the
tree seeds. and also the further problem
Of preventing the depredatiOns Of rabbits,
which are altogether too fond Of the
little trees themselves. whether nursery
transplants or field-grown seedlings, is
receiving the attention Of the Biological
Survey experts Of the Department OF
Agriculture
Purchases Many Seeds.
In some localities the department has
had TO purchase seed. but most Of that
used is gathered by Forest Service men
themselves. The cost for gathering has
varied for the different regions from s.
cents 10 81 pound. As a rule the
seed is collected In the fan months, when
most conifers ripen their seed. Parties
OF three or four men ordinarily work
together. Where numbering is IN progress
the collectors follow the sawyers and
take the cones directly from the felled
trees In standing timber. the task is
much more arduous. The men must often
climb tall pines and pull the cones from
the branches as best they can. Where
these are on the extremities and be-
yond the reach of the hand. pruning
shears are used. The cones are dropped
to the ground and then gathered into
buckets and transferred 10 sacks. in
which they are carried TO a central point
for further treatment.
The extraction OF the seeds is tedious
rather than difficult. In some cases the
cones are spread out upon sheets in the
sun, when, after time. they open and
the seed drop out; in other cases it IS
necessary to resort to artificial heat
This is applied by placing the cones upon
trays with screen bottoms and raising the
temperature OF the room to the proper
. degree. The cones open. the winged seeds
fall out. and the seed is separated finally
from wing and dirt by tanning mill. A
god many seeds have been removed from
the cone by hand. bat this is a sore tria
10 the fingers Of the p!ckers and an ex
ceedingly slow process.
TurPentine I'm Russia.
Turpentine refining works, which en-