' I'-il
P „ ......
largest aud most perfect of their kind, and to the fullest and best-ripened seeds on these
trees. The reasons have been too frequently given in this work to require repetition.
S e c t . I. Coniferous Trees and Shrubs, their Seeds, Sowing, and Rearing.
5963. The principal hardy coniferous trees and shrubs, which ripen their seeds in Britain,
arc as follow;—
Pinus sylvéstris, November.
Piriiistor October.
Pinco, December.
iStròbus, October.
Cémbra, November,
l.aricio, November,
ponderósa, November,
excélsa, November.
.4'bios J'icesi, October.
A'bies balsftmifern, September,
canadénsis, November.
Douglàsîi, November
excelsa, November,
riibra, November,
nigra, November,
àlba, November.
Pàrìx curopæ'a, December,
péndula, December.
................ -Irpa, Deci
C'ôdrus Libàni. March,
¿iniiierus virgmiàna, December.
Cones may be gathered any time between the ripening season and the following A p ril; but tbe
sooner they are gathered the better, as they supply work for the regular hands of the establishment in
bad weather during th e winter months ; or admit of giving industrious money-making persons work by
the job ill the w inter evenings. The general mode of separating the seeds is by kiln-drying, in the same
way as in drying malt, but applying a more gentle heat.
5965. Tbe cone-kiln is constructed after th e manner of a common m a lt-k iln : the bearers should he
about 9 ft. distant from the fire, and 2 in. apart. A wirecloth is spread over them from side
to side of the kiln, and the cones are laid on it to th e thickness of 12 in. or 14 in. A gentle lire is then
applied, and regularly kept up till the cones become opened. A greatly improved form of kiln, adapted
for drying malt or hops, or flowers, seeds, or leaves
f any description, has heen invented by Hoad, who
so greatly improved the garden-syringe. This kiln
vill be found figured and described in detail in our
Encyclopædia o f Cottage, Farm, and ViUa Architecture, § 1272. to § 1280. During th e time of drying,
th e cones must be frequently turned upon the kiln ; and when the seeds begin to drop out, they must be
removed to the seed-loft, and sifted till all th e seeds which are loose fall out, and be taken from among
th e cones. The cones are afterwards to be threshed severely with flails, or passed through a hand-
threshing machine, and sifted as before, and so on, till the seeds are taken out as completely as possible.
It is, however, a safer method to split the larch cones before putting them into the kiln. This operation
is performed by a small flat triangular spatula, sharpened at the point and cutting-angles, and helved
like a shoemaker’s awl. The cone is held by the forefinger and thumb of the one hand, upon a fiat
piece of wood, while, with the other, by th e splitter, it is split up from the great end ; and afterwards
each half is split up the middle, which parts the cone into four divisions. This is by far the best, and
least destructive to the seeds, of any method we know ; because the cones so split, when exposed to the
heat, ure suddenly opened, and readily discharge the seeds; which, consequently, are less injured by
the fire-heat. Besides the above method of splitting, there are others. Some people use a cone-mill,
which has large sharp teeth in a concave cylinder, and others fixed in a corresponding roller. The
mill is worked by turning the roller by a handle resembling that of a common winnowing machine.
7’he cones are let into the mill by a hopper. 7’his instrument is very diflScult to work, and bruises the
seeds very much ; many of whicli are of course destroyed. We have several times made use of the
common improved bark-miil, for separating the seeds from larch fir cones ; but the cones are thus so
much compressed and braised, that the seeds suffer exceedingly ; and we would by no means advise
it : indeed, among all the methods which we have known adopted, to perform the painful and laborious
work of extracting the seeds of the larch, the plan of splitting them singly is much the best and safest
for the seeds, and ought to be adopted by every one whfe has occasion to use only small quantities of
seeds. None of the other kinds of cones require so much labour as the larch, except, perhaps, those of
th e cedar of Lebanon, and the black American spruce. Cones, which have given out all their seeds,
are generallj-, and very properly, used as fuel for drying other cones. This sort of fuel requires the
attention of a very steady feeder ; indeed, the most careful and attentive are apt to set the full or drying
'cones on fire, from the resinous nature, and tendency to flame, of th e empty cones used as fuel. Such
kilns should, therefore, be erected in situations far removed from a dangerous neighbourhood. {Sang.)
5966. The cones ofthe Scotch pine, the larch, andthc spruce, are the principal kinds which are opened by
kiln-heat. The cones of the silver fir, the balm of Gilead fir, and the Weymouth pine, give out tbeir
seeds with very little tro u b le : indeed, if they be not gathered soon in autumn, and kept from severe
drought, they will fall to pieces of their own accord,
Cones of the black, red, and white American
spruces should "be split,. , and exposed . , . i! 1 a sieve ............. tilted ....
before a gentle fire, with a sheet of paper below
the sieve to receive the seeds as they fall out. The seeds should be removed every quarter of an hour ;
because they are small, and are very easily injured by the heat. {Ibid.)
5967. The cones of the cedar o f Lebanon should be kept for one year a t least, after they are taken from
th e tree, before the seed is taken out. This is necessary, on account of the soft nature of the seeds, and
th e great quantity of resinous matter which the cones contain when growing, aud which is discharged
....................... ’ • - • 'i r , is to split ............ ' ' • ■
jrk, as well a
OT rt ay o r two pr'
..........................e opened with the hand, and the seeds carefully t ------------ -------------
of th e cedar will grow, though the cones have been several years taken from the tree. {Plant. Kal.,
p. 325.)
5968. Sowing. April is the best season for all the species ; the soil should be in excellent condition,
well mellowed by the preceding winter’s frost and snow, cai-efully dug, and raked as fine as possible.
All the sorts are sown in beds, except the cedar of Lebanon and some pines ; and the manner of sowing
is by cuffing or bedding in, already described (2307.).
5969. The soilfor the Scotch pine, before being dug over in February, should be thickly coated with
rotten hotbed dung; the seeds should be sown so as to rise at tho distance of a quarter oi an inch from
one an o th e r; and the covering should be, on the average of soils, a quarter of an inch thick. The
best preparation for larch-seeds is a previous crop of two-years’ seedling Scotch pines, and next, a
similar crop of the larch. 7'he soil should be dunged and prepared as for the Scotch p in e ; after sowing
th e seeds, both of this tree and the Scotch pine, previous to covering them, draw a light roller along the
bed, to press th e seeds firmly into the earth ; then cover a quarter of an inch thick. The larch should
rise a t th e same distance as the Scotch p in e ; but, th e seeds being generally more or less injured in
separating, many do not come up, and they are therefore sown thicker than the other. {Sang.) In
England it is common to cover the seeds with peat earth, or with very fine sandy loam, and lay over the
beds spray, furze, large heath, or bushes as a mulch ; as well to keep off the birds, as to diminish the
direct heat produced by the sun, and the evaporation of moisture by the sun and wind. {Gard. Mag.,
vol. iii. p. 123.)
5970. The seeds o f the spruce f i r are to be treated like those of the Scotch pine ; and the balm of Gilead
fir seeds, like those of the larch, only the covering should not be less than half, nor more than three
quarters of an inch. {Sang.)
5971. T'he seeds of the silver f ir and pinaster require the same sort of treatment as those of the larch.
“ They must not be sown to rise nearer one another than throe in an inch. The covering should be a
full inch thick, and performed with great accuracy: for if any of the seeds be left too lightly covered,
or if any ofthcm be too deeply covered, they will alike be destroyed.” {Plant. Kal., p. 332.)
5972. The seeds ofthe Weymouth and stone pines may be treated like those of tbe Scotch pine, but tbe
former covered three quarters of an inch thick, and the latter an inch and a quarter. Sang states, that
the only way to get stately trees of these, as of most of the pine tribe, is to sow them where they are to
rise into timber.
5973. The white American spruce-seeds “ are smaller than those of any of th e preceding kinds, and
therefore require a lighter covering than any of them. One fifth of an inch is quite sufficient. 7’hey
sbould be sown on a piece of fme dry sandy loam, and be covered with earth of rotten leaves of trees to
th e above thickness, by sifting it upon them.” {Plant. Kal., p. 333.)
5974. The seeds of black and rcd American spruce fir “ are very small and tender. They are still
smaller than tho seeds of the white American spruce, and therefore require a covering still lighter than
mentioned for it. The black and red American spruce should be sown on rich peaty earth, which has
been made very fine; and should be covered as lightly as possible. Rich heath soil, containing a good
portion of white sand, answers best. 7'his should be sifted over the seeds with a fine sieve. Neither of
these American spruces will allow the roller to pass over them previous to covering. T h e whole of them
should be shaded from the mid-day sun in the time of coming up, and for some time after, by means of
hoops and matting, or spruce fir branches stuck in the opposite alleys, so as to form an arch over the
beds.” {Plant. Kal., p. 334.)
6975. Cedar o f Lebanon seeds should be sown in boxes of light sandy loam; or on a spot of properly
prepared well-sheltered soil, and covered half an inch : the seeds of the red cedar (Juníperas virginiána),
and of th e white cedar (Cupréssus Zhyoides), may be similarly treated, covering a quarter of an inch
I frame or hand-glass :
• maÿ t .........,.
thick. Seeds of the arbor vitæ ('fb ù ja occidentàlis) will come up best under i
they should be sown on light sandy soil, and covered a quarter of an inch.
5976. The strictest attentio7i shouldbe paid to the fo?-egoing directions, hath in regard to quality of soil,
and thickness of covering the seed; for, though resinous trees are extremely hardy when grown up, yet
they are all very tender in infancy. T h e raising regular crops of this tribe is, therefore, justly reckoned
the masterpiece of nursery culture in the open ground; and is supposed to be best understood in the
northern counties.
5977. Transplanting. This tribe benefits less by transplanting than the non-resinous tree s; and therefore,
where circumstances admit, the better plan is, after the seedlings have stood two years in the seedbed,
to remove them where they are finally to remain. The exceptions are those sorts which are transplanted
into pots, as the cedars and cyjiresses, and some of the more delicate pines, which may be kept
in the nursmg state, in pots, several years, as their roots can be turned out entire. At th e same time,
when any of the pine or fir tribe are kept so long in pots that their roots form a web on the surface of the
ball of earth, it is found th at they require several years after being turned out into the open ground to
establish themselves securely. About the middle of April is the proper time for transplanting all the
resinous tribe, except the larch; for, as this tree pushes earlier than the others, it sliould be transplanted
in February and March. 7'he first operation common to all seedlings is to loosen the roots of
the plants in the seed-bed with a fork, so as, when drawn out by th e hand, they may come up with all
thcir fibres entire. 7'he ground, which must be mellow, need not be so rich as for sowing the seeds;
being previously prepared, they should be immediately planted in the trench manner. T h e Scotch pine
is generally planted in lines 12 in. apart, and the plants 1 ft. distant in th e lines ; if intended to remain
two years in the lines, they should be placed 6 in. apart in the line; but they always rise with the best
roots atter being only one year transplanted. The spruce and balm of Gilead firs should generally be
transplanted a t two years ; but, if weak in the seed-bed, they may remain till the third year. 7'hey should
in humid rich earth. 7’he silver be planted at the same distances as the Scotch pine, fir may be treated in
the same manner, but it requires ra the r more space. ll to be nursed only one year, silver firs may be
planted in lines 9in. apart, and a t 6 in . distance in the lines; but if to remain two years, then lo in ,
between the lines, and 18in. in the line, will be necessary. The Weymouth pine should be transplanted
a t two years into a well-pulverised, rich, and sub-humid soil, where it should remain two years before final
planting ; distance between the lines 12 in., and from plant to plant 8 in.
5978. The pinaster and stone p in e generally rise to well-sized plants the first season after sowing, and
should then be transplanted into a rich well comminuted soil, ra the r sandy and dry, a t 9 in. between the
lines, and 4 in. apart in the lines. After remaining there one year, they should be removed to their final
situation. Great care is requisite in moving these plants, especially th e stone pine, which sends down
very long roots.
5979. The white American spruce, after remaining two years in the seed-bed, should be nursed two
years in rich sandy and ra the r dry soil, in lines distant 12 in., and the plants 6 in. apart in the lines. The
black and red American spruce are much more delicate than th e white. After being two years in the
seed-bed, they should be planted out in beds of sandy or sub-peaty soil, a t 6 in. apai't, to stand for one
year ; at the end of this period, they should be lifted and planted in rows a t the same distances as the
white American spruce.
6980. The_ cedar o f Lebanon, when one year old, should be taken up and planted in pots of the finest
soil ; or in lines, at the same distance as the silver fir ; after being two years nursed, it should be removed
to its final situation, as it never does m uch good if planted finally a t a greater age, unless in pots, which
is much the best method. 7’he red and white cedars, and the cypress, may remain two years in the
seed-bed, and then be treated like the cedar of Lebanon.
5981. The larch maybe moved from the seed-bed into the nursing lines, at one or two years. The soil
to receive them should be soft, tender, and prepared by a crop of esculent vegetables with dung the pre-
ceding season ; .b..u..t.. .t.h...e..y.. ..s.h...o..u..l..d.. .n...e..v..e..r.. .bdea pnlti)e d in h .1 l'and newly manured with fresh dung. One year’s
seedlings, to be nursed one year, should be planted 4 in. apart in th e lin es; but if to"stand for two
years, 5 in., and 15 in. betw'een the lines. The two years’ seedlings should be sized, as in the seed-bed
they never all rise to the same h e ig h t; the larger size may be placed 6 in. apart in the lines, and 12 in.
or 14 in. between the lines, to stand one y e a r; the smaller, a t S in., and 1 ft., for standing the same
period: they should then be removed to their final situation.
5982. Carc o fth e roots. No description of tree-plants receive so much injury from the loss of roots,
from th e roots being exposed to the air by being kept long out of the soil, or from compression and ex-
elusion of air and m oisture by being kept in close bundles or thick layers, as those of the resinous tribe ;
they should therefore be finally planted as soon as possible after removal from the n u rse ry ; and, indeed,
whenever it is practicable, no more should be taken up in one day than can be planted that day or the
next. Nor are any plants more easily deprived of the vital principle, by packing and carriage either by
sea or land; though, being all evergreens, except the larch, they do not readily show it. This has
been stated to us, by experienced planters in 'Vlhiles and other parts of England, as the reason why so
few trees are finally produced from the immense numbers of Scotch pine and larch fir annually sent
thither by the Scotch nurserymen.
5983. Pruning is not required by any of the resinous tribe in the nursery, unless to pinch off a contending
leader, or amputate a braised part of the root or top.
M i t o