System for harvesting seed from a coniferous tree

A method for harvesting seeds produced by the cones of a coniferous tree, comprising:

• providing a pod comprising an open-bottomed conical housing adapted to seat on the upper end of the tree, the housing having a permeable side wall operative forming openings sized to retain the seeds when they are airborne while enabling penetration therethrough of wind, rain and sunlight, and first means, carried internally by the housing adjacent its base, for intercepting and collecting dropping seed;
• positioning the pod over the upper end of the tree at a time prior to when the tree's cones open and the contained seeds mature, release and become airborne;
• maintaining the pod on the tree as the cones open and the seeds become airborne, so that the seeds are contained by the side wall and drop and are intercepted and collected by the first means;
• and
• retrieving the pod from the tree after the seeds have been collected to recover them.

A seed harvesting device for recovering mature airborne seeds from the cones of a coniferous tree, said device consisting of:

• a hollow, open-bottomed, generally conical housing, having a permeable side wall, adapted to seat on the upper end of the tree, the side wall forming openings small enough to retain mature airborne seeds produced by the cones of the tree but operative to enable penetration therethrough of sunlight, wind and rain;
• means, supported by the housing internally thereof, for intercepting and collecting said seeds dropping downwardly;
• and
• means, connected with the housing, for engagement with a retrieval device to position or remove the housing on or off the tree.

A seed harvesting device for recovering mature airborne seeds from the cones of a coniferous tree comprising:

• a hollow, open-bottomed, generally conical housing, having a permeable side wall, adapted to seat on the upper end of the tree, the side wall forming openings small enough to retain mature airborne seeds produced by the cones of the tree but operative to enable penetration therethrough of sunlight, wind and rain;
• means, supported by the housing internally thereof, for intercepting and collecting said seed dropping downwardly;
• said means allowing cones and branches to remain on the tree;
• and
• means, connected with the housing, for engagement with a retrieval device to position or remove the housing on or off the tree.