INFLUENCE OF SHADE AND OTHER FACTORS ON 

 PLANTATIONS. 



By George W. Kim bale and E. E. Carter. 



The summer of 1912 was a hard one for reproduction, natural 

 and artificial, in central Massachusetts. While not exceptionally 

 hot, there was a very scanty rainfall from June to November, and 

 consequently a noticeable lack of ground moisture. Bogs which 

 are ordinarily impassable except when frozen could be crossed 

 dry-foot, and many farmers had their first experience in hauling 

 water for stock and household uses. Natural reproduction of 

 white pine from the seed year of 191 1 practically disappeared in 

 the open. Under these conditions, heavy losses in plantations 

 established in the spring of the year were to be expected. Their 

 occurrence, however,' gave an unusual opportunity to distinguish 

 the factors which result in survival or failure. 



The data here presented were obtained in October and Novem- 

 ber following the drouth, on about three acres of the 1912 plan- 

 tations on the Harvard Forest, Petersham, Mass- ; and on a plan- 

 tation established at the same time, belonging to the Brooks estate, 

 also in Petersham. Both plantations were set out carefully, — 

 the one on the Harvard Forest by students, the other by Italians 

 working under the immediate supervision of a trained forester ; 

 and in the latter case, no counts were made on areas planted 

 during the first day or two. Partial but careful inspection of 

 both plantations early in June showed almost no immediate 

 failure, and a very high percentage of plants with well developed 

 new growth. The ordinary "mattock-hole" method of planting 

 was used exclusively on the areas inspected, the only difference 

 between the plantations being that on possibly half of the Harvard 

 work the earth was compacted around the roots of the trees by 

 the use of a wooden mallet instead of by stamping. The effect of 

 this variation in the planting method could not be distinguished in 

 this inspection. 



The sites of the two plantations gave opportunities for con- 



