94 JOURNAL OF FORESTRY 



preferably with the Anderson sowing bottle, with an ordinary ale 

 bottle, or b}- hand, "after which the strip is filled with cover soil and 

 litter." 



Plot Solving. — The size of the plot or seed spot depends upon the 

 size and vigor of the living plant cover and varies from 20 by 20 cm. 

 to 75 by 75 cm. The smaller size is suited for burned areas or where 

 there is little plant cover. Ordinarily 30 by 30 cm. is about right. As 

 the brush and herbaceous growth increases, the size of the plot is also 

 increased, while with particularly dense cover sowing is abandoned in 

 favor of planting. 



For preparation of the seed-spot, a Wesslen's sowing hoe is recom- 

 mended most highly. This tool has two blades — one a hoe, the other 

 bearing three strong claws. The living ground cover is first removed 

 and trampled down on the sunny side of the plot to afford some pro- 

 tection against the sun. The leaf mold, raw humus, or ashes is care- 

 fully removed, and after the soil beneath has been loosened to a depth 

 of 20 cm. they are thoroughly incorporated in the upper 10 to 15 cm. 

 of the latter. On very coarse, dry sand soil loosening is avoided as 

 much as possible, because it aids drying out. Elsewhere it is beneficial, 

 because of the better access of the soil to air and warmth, which pro- 

 motes those changes of the soil elements which make them available 

 for the plant's use. The young tree's roots will go deeper in the loose 

 soil and it will be more resistant to drouth and frost. The adding of 

 humus or swamp-mire to seed-spots in very poor sand soil is recom- 

 mended. 



Before sowing the seed the soil is well tamped. The amount of seed 

 sown depends upon its germinative capacity. Using Haack's figures, 

 the following number of seeds of dififerent germination per cents are 

 proper for a 30 by 3*0 cm. seed-spot : 



Germination per cent 60 65 70 75 80 85 90 95 



Required number of seed 60 50 40 35 30 25 20 15 



Not to exceed 0.5 kg. per ha. should ordinarily be necessary, although 

 the amount would be increased in dry, frosty, or very brushy and weedy 

 sites. The writer praises both the Hallstrom sowing can and the Gam- 

 melkroppa Nursery sowing apparatus, both of which regulate the 

 amount sown and have seed-spreading devices and rain shields. A 

 sowing flask or ale bottle may be used. The seed should be well shaken 

 before filling the sowing apparatus, otherwise light seed, brought to the 

 top of the bag or canister during transportation, will be unevenly dis- 

 tributed, to the disadvantage of some of the seed-spots. 



