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ANNUAL REPORTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



also of practically every district, it may be seen that the co.st of both 

 direct seeding and planting has been decreasing from year to year: 



Average costs of planting and direct seeding. 



The average cost of all planting fell from $19.56 per acre in 1911 

 to $11.05 in 1912 for both hardwoods and conifers, and to $10.73 per 

 acre for conifers, which include most of the acreage covered. 



Further reductions in cost are possible, and will come through 

 further cheapening of seed, nursery stock, and field operations. The 

 cost of direct seeding shows comparatively little variation from year 

 to year. 



Results. — The results from much of the early planting by the 

 service were poor. On the whole, for the entire area covered on the 

 national forests, reports indicate that about 50 per cent of all the 

 trees planted are living. In some plantations under favorable con- 

 ditions in Washington, Oregon, and Montana, 90 per cent of the 

 trees planted are now living, but in others under the unfavorable con- 

 ditions of the Southwest the percentage of living trees is very small. 

 Better results in planting are being secured each year as better stock 

 is being raised and the methods of planting are improved. During 

 the year, even in Arizona, New Mexico, and southern California, 

 where, on account of the extremely unfavorable conditions, success 

 in artificial reforestation was almost despaired of, fair or even good 

 results in small experimental areas have been secured. Good results 

 in planting hardwoods were obtained during the year on the Ozark 

 and Arkansas National Forests in Arkansas and the Wichita National 

 Forest in Oklahoma. The success of direct seeding has been found 

 to depend mainly upon the nature of the site, the preparation of 

 the soil, the time of sowing, and the protection of the seed against 

 rodents. 



Some form of preparation of the ground has been found necessary 

 to secure any reasonable degree of success. Broadcasting, except 

 on prepared strips or upon recent burns, has not proved successful. 

 The seed-spotting method has been most successful, particularly upon 

 favorable sites, if done at the proper seasons. Late summer and 

 early fall sowing have in general given be.st results. 



In practically all cases it is necessary to afford some protection 

 to the seeded areas against rodents. It has been found that a single 

 poisoning is not sufficient, that the areas to be seeded must be selected 

 a considerable time in advance, and that the poisoning must be done 

 at regular intervals and over areas larger than will be sown. In 

 general, the increased cost of poisoning is slight, and it provides 

 a very cheap and effective insurance against the destruction of the 

 seed. In Arizona, New Mexico, and southern California even the 

 most careful direct seeding has in almost every instance, owing to 

 the combined effects of drought, frost, rodents, and birds, proved 



