Many growers place the boxes on the surface in some protected place, as under trees or in a shed, and cover them a foot deep with clean straw or leaves. This is a good method for all seeds which are to be sown the following spring, as those of many fruits. If boxes are piled on top each other they should be mulched with moss, else the under ones may become too dry. Or the boxes may be placed without covering in a shed, but they must be examined occasionally to see that they do not become too dry. Precaution must also be taken to keep away mice, squirrels, blue-jays and other intruders. Large nut-like seeds or fruits, like peach-pits, walnuts and hickory-nuts, are usually buried in sand or light loam where they will freeze. Or sometimes the large nuts are thrown into a pile with earth and allowed to remain on the surface. Freezing serves a useful purpose in aiding to crack the shells, but it is not essential to subsequent germination, as is commonly supposed. All seeds, so far as known, can be grown without the agency of frost if properly handled. Fall sowing amounts to stratification, but unless the soil is mellow and very thoroughly drained the practice is not advisable. The seeds are liable to be heaved or washed out, eaten by vermin, and the soil is apt to bake over them. Under proper conditions, however, the seeds of fruits and many forest trees thrive well under fall sowing. The seeds should be sown as soon as they are ripe, even if in mid-summer; or if the ground is not ready for them at that time, they may be temporarily stratified to prevent too great hardening of the parts. It is best, however, to allow all green or moist seeds to dry off a few days before they are stratified. Fall sown seeds should always be mulched. Some seeds rarely germinate until the second year after maturity, even with the best of treatment. The thorns, mountain ash, hollies, viburnums, some roses, and many others belong to this category. Some growers sow them regularly as soon as they are ripe and allow the beds to remain until the seeds appear. This is a waste of land and of labor in weeding, and the best way is to stratify them and allow them to remain until the second spring before sowing. Partial substitutes for stratification are soaking and scalding the seeds. Soaking may be advantageously practiced in the case of slow and hard seeds, which are not enclosed in bony shells, and which have been allowed to become dry. Seeds of apple, locust and others of similar character, are sometimes treated in this manner. They are soaked for 24 or 36 hours, and it is commonly supposed that if they are exposed to a sharp frost in the meantime, better results will follow. While still wet the seeds are sown. Scalding water may be poured over locust and other seeds to soften their covering. But seeds should not be boiled, as sometimes recommended. [Illustration: Fig. 7. Bored Seed.]