by the USDA Forest Service
The two USDA pamphlets reproduced here, "Collecting and Handling Seeds of Wild Plants" (1939) and "How to Collect, Label, and Pack Living Plant Material for Long-Distance Shipment" (1924), fill a niche in current plant propagation literature.
There has never been a better time to learn about collecting and handling seeds of wild plants. As species after species is endangered by diseases (often imported), it is critical that we watch for genetic sports, plants that have just enough genetic differentiation from the general stock to be resistant to the disease. By identifying these resistant ones and collecting seeds from them, we can help prevent species extinction.
On a lower level of urgency, basic knowledge of seed collection and storage can help us introduce wild varieties to our yards and gardens without harm to the donor environment.
To complement the two original pamphlets we have also included two current ones, "How to Identify and Manage Ash Yellows in Forest Stands and Home Landscapes" and "How to Identify Butternut Canker and Manage Butternut Trees", both from the USDA Forest Service.
Softcover, saddle stitched, 6" x 9", 82 pages. Reprinted in 2005 as part of our Classic Reprint Series.