REVIEWS 657 



An important experiment leads to the statement that "fall sowing 

 proved a great success." The seedlings from fall sowing "are as large 

 as average two-year seedlings. One hundred of them weigh twice as 

 much as one hundred from the other beds." And 3,000 of these one- 

 year-olds planted are reported as having "a year's start on all other 

 plantations." "Their growth exceeds that of two-year-old seedlings 

 in the nursery." We call, however, attention to the fact that Mont 

 Alto has a semi-southern climate! 



Fall planting in the forest is also experimentally practiced. 



From the chapter on planting, we learn that so far nearly 9,000 

 acres in 815 plantations have been planted at a cost of a little less than 

 $97,000 and as a little more than 16 million trees were planted, the 

 average cost per acre was a little less than $11, and per M around 

 $5.24, but the range lies between $6.74 and $22.65 per acre, and $1.49 

 and $7.27 per M. Of the total expenditure, 46 per cent goes for plants, 

 about 75 per cent of which were white pine, some 25 other species being 

 enumerated as used. 



It is estimated that between 300,000 and 400,000 acres of the State 

 forest will have to be artifically reforested, and that planted since direct 

 seeding has not proved successful. The report suggests that 15,000 

 acres should be planted annually instead of the two to three thousand 

 as at present. The necessity of making definite periodic planting plans 

 instead of the haphazard planting hitherto practised is recognized. 



Scrub oak lands have been experimented with, but so far without 

 notable success. A few other experiments without definite issue are 

 also mentioned. 



Under the somewhat misplaced title of Silviculture and Mensura- 

 tion — for the preceding chapters on nurseries and planting belong under 

 Silviculture — we learn that systematic forest surv^eys have been in- 

 augurated on eight forests, starting with topographic surveys. So far, 

 168,000 acres have been surveyed. Some of the forests are already 

 subdivided into compartments, and compartment lines are to be cut 

 to a width of 6 feet (hardly wide enough if to be kept open at all, not 

 even for the avowed purpose of fire guards!). Concrete posts, costing 

 in place 30 cents, are experimented with for demarkation. Age class 

 maps, stand maps, and growth studies are to follow: a forest organiza- 

 tion according to the best European models — the only rational procedure 

 — is begun! 



Besides the tabulation of fire losses and of timber cut in the State 

 with its value, a few minor items are discussed, such as lightning. 



