SEEDING timiu:h buhns and r.ruxr slasiiincs. 39 



SEEDING TIMBER BURNS AND BURNT SLASHINGS. 



As })ivvi()tisly stalt'tl, dciiM' foi-csts of cxTrirrct'ii tiiiilKT comt a 

 very lar<!:o portion of wostt'rn Orctroii and wi'stern ^^^lsllinii:ton. Diii- 

 in<j; tlu> dry season of the year forest tires overrun lar<i(' areas, lvillin<x 

 practically all vegetation, and leavin<>: a loose blanket of ashes on the 

 surface of the frround. These i)urnt areas if left unmolested for a 

 few years usually produce a dense growth of young trees and brush 

 and are practically worthless for grazing })urposes. In clearing land 

 it also frequently happens that the timber and bi-ush are slashed and 

 burnt several years before the stumps are removed. By ])ro])erly 

 seeding these l)urnt areas they may be made to ])roduce excellent pas- 

 ture. Since the stumps are in the ground and there is therefore no 

 chance to cover the seed, the seeding should always be done in the fall 

 before the ashes have settled. The first rain that comes will then 

 cover the seed sufKciently to insure good germination. 



Since there is little chance to improve or renew the stand on account 

 of the stu.mps and timber remaining on the land, only seed of those 

 plants should be sown that last a long time, stand close cro])ping, and 

 3'et produce as much growth as possible. Tf the seed is sown in the 

 unsettled ashes as indicated, little difHcnlty will l)e expei-ienced in 

 irettinc: "ood stands of white clover, alsike cJoNcr. red ( loxcr. orchard 

 grass, meadow fescue, timothy, and English rye-grass. A mixture 

 of 1 pound of white clover, 3 pounds of alsike clover, 10 of orchard 

 grass, and 10 ponnds of meadow fescue ]x'r acre should give satis- 

 factory results Avhen sown in the unsettled ashes in the early fall. 

 Timothy will also do well for this purpose. Red clover and English 

 i-ye-grass are each short-lived and should form but a small portion of 

 the mixture, if sown at all. Timber burns that have been seeded 

 down in this way should be pastured pretty closely to keep down the 

 3''oung trees and brush, (xoats will help to do this better than any 

 other kind of animal. The success of seeding burnt areas in this way 

 has been thoroughly demonstrated in many parts of the region. It 

 is only a question of solving the proper seed at the proper time. 



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