FOREST commissioner's REPORT. 'A 



Hill-to s, steep valley sides, and thin, ledgy places, should 

 ni'wr be cleared entirely The better way would be to remove the 

 hugest trees only, leaving the smaller ones to come forward and 

 t.ike tbeir places, never exposing the soil to the washing of the 

 rnin- and the drying influences of the sun and winds. 



REFOREsTIG WASTE LANDS. 



'riicre are only a few ways of reforesting the waste lands of the 

 S'titt'. First, by allowing nature to do the work of sowing the 

 seeils of indigenous species in her own way; second, by i)lanting^ 

 oi sowing the seeds of the most valuable species and varieties, 

 where I hey are to giow and mature ; third, by transplanting small 

 tn'e-* from the forest, directly to tracts to be re-stocked ; fourth, by 

 gi.iwiiig seedlings under glass, or in prepared beds out of doors, 

 iiiid trans, lauting when of suitable age and size: or, fifth, by pur- 

 clitisiiig seedlings giovvii in the manner last named, and re-stocking 

 all waste places at once. 



Much may be accomplished in any one of the ways named. It 

 may be well to consider for a njoment some of the advantages and 

 dirticulties attending each method. 



U'liere seeds are sown by the winds, and by birds, squirrels, and 

 other sniall animals, we are not sure of an even distribution. The 

 li>;lit seeds are blown into thick undergrowth, or under fences, 

 where they form hedge-rows, while most of the land remains open 

 and unoccupied for years. This method, therefore, is slow and 

 uiisMlislHctory. 



-oiiie have been successful in planting trees where they are to 

 grow and claim that this practice is the most simple, certain, and 

 iiiexi)eiisive There is no doubt but the oaks, hiikories. walnuts, 

 and chestnuts may he successfully planted by simply opening fur- 

 ious with a plow, dropping the seed, and covering, as the farmer 

 (•■ vt is Ins potatoes. When the land is so rough as to preclude the 

 II-.I' (if a plow a grubbing- hoe may be substituted Planted in this 

 >v ix . I he maples, ashes, and other small-seedtd species will in many 

 in-iMnce-. tail, and, as a rule, the conifers will fail entirely. 



u. re IS great danger that nuts and acorns will be appropriated 

 i'\ -i|uii rels, and that mice, birds, and insects may destroy the 

 siiitiller seeds. It would be well to make a liberal allowance for 

 ■ • nMiitjeiicies where this practice is adopted. 



