Collect Native Tree Seed

Northern Advocate, 18 March 1939, Page 6

Collect Native Tree Seed

TW TOW is the time to go out into the forest to collect the seed of | \ the native-treeg which it is desired to sow this year in readiness A for planting out during Centennial Year. Many of the forest fruits are now ripe and ready for gathering and sowing in seed-boxes or nurseries. , The demand for native trees will be so great next year that unless an effort is made now by private individuals to secure their own seedlings, there may be many disappointments on account of shortages of stock. ' One of the Centennial gestures by children attending Northland schools will be the giving of native trees to school children in other parts of the Dominion which are not so favourably-endowed in this respect as we are in Northland. This in itself will cultivate a fine Centennial spirit, but, in addition, the children’s Centennial programme for Northland is the planting out of 250,000 native trees in Northland soil. In view of this, every lover of trees can help by spending some of his (or her) spare time in collecting the forest fruits. There will be an extra demand for kauri seed. This is ripe now. It grows in a cone at the ends of the branches of the tree. As a rule, the cone does not fall, but collapses when mature, and scatter.c/the seed on the ground below. This year, however, owing to the long spell of dry weather, it is quite possible that many of the cones may have fallen. . . If it is possible to obtain the cones before the seed is ripe, a better result may be obtained. The seed will readily ripen in the sun. No gift will be more highly esteemed next year than a young kauri seedling. . There are, however, many other beautiful trees with fruit ripening at the present time. Among these may be included the kawaka, puriri, titoki, totara, kowdiai, kahikatea, karaka, pohutukawa, makomako, etc. The essential thing to ho remembered is that the seed is now ripe, or is ripening, and should he harvested before it is too late. School committees, teachers, and friends of the school children wall derive great benefit and great pleasure in associating with the children in the quest for-the seed of native trees.