3i6 Forestry Quarterly. 



Meanwhile, magnificent stands have been produced by planting 

 in the Prussian pineries and Saxon spruce forests, which are 

 convincing. In the State forests of over lo million acres, now, 

 over two and one-quarter million dollars are paid out annually 

 for planting. 



Coming now, nearer home and admitting that intensive methods 

 of silviculture may not as yet, even in State and National forests, 

 appear to be practicable — ^although viewed from the standpoint 

 of the future we hold they are — we may at least inquire what the 

 conditions are that should direct our choice of method. 



Thirty years ago a very wise nurseryman, Thomas Meehan, 

 of Philadelphia, whose firm is still one of the best in the country, 

 a keen biological student, did not hesitate to express his opinion 

 that the only promising method of restocking our woods was by 

 planting. At that time I was myself still imbued with Gayer's 

 doctrines and stood up for natural regeneration. I am not now aS 

 radical as Mr. Meehan was, but I have come to realize the truth 

 upon which he based his opinion. In our mixed woods, with 

 species of unequal value, the culling process in many cases leaves' 

 weed patches, the weed trees regenerating in preference to the 

 valuable species which are reduced in number by the logging 

 operation. Unless, therefore, a way is found of subduing weed 

 trees first, the new crop will not be of desirable composition. 

 In many cases the accumulation of duff and litter on the ground is 

 such that a satisfactory seed-bed can only be secured by artificial 

 means- Thus the spruce in the Adirondacks, shedding its seed 

 after the fall of the foliage of its broad-leaved associates, finds 

 on this dry stratum poor chance for germinating and still less 

 chance of reaching the mineral soil with its delicate roots. 



Finally, our climate in many sections is not favorable to 

 natural regeneration. We must not forget that the result of the 

 tempered and humid climate of the Pacific Coast, where any 

 method of restocking would be successful, or the example of 

 the equally temperate climate of France, where methods succeed 

 that in Germany are a failure, can not serve as a model for our 

 Eastern States or dry Rocky Mountain sites. 



From the experience of the Forest Service with the broad- 

 cast sowing in the Black Hills — which is as near an imitation of 



