Forest Planting in National Forests. 137 



Low shade frames, of the same mesh as that used for the lath 

 houses, 12 in number, are made 4 feet by 12 feet, for a seed area 

 of 48 square feet each. They are placed 12 inches high above 

 ground. These screens are made of lath nailed on two pieces of 

 wood extending from end to end of the frame. They are de- 

 signed to be handled by one man. We calculated to shade 50 per 

 cent. 



The soil is reduced to a suitable depth for seeding by spading 

 and raking. The seeds are sown broad cast, about 24 ounces of 

 Douglas Fir seed to 100 square feet of seed bed. This is designed 

 to produce 375 seedlings per square foot. 



The seedlings remain in the beds two years, receiving timely 

 watering, weeding, mulching during the winter, and other care. 



They are, at the beginning of the third year, transplanted into 

 transplant beds, where they are spaced i-| inches in rows by 6 

 inches between rows. Ordinarily two men will transplant 8,000 

 to 10,000 plants of this species per day, by means of a transplant 

 board. Watering and weeding are required during the season 

 for these plants also. 



Field planting is best accomplished by dividing the force into 

 crews of five men each, one man carrying in a bucket transplants 

 which have been "puddled," and handing them to the planters. 

 The soil is "wounded" by men with mattocks. The transplants 

 are spaced 6 feet, the distance being slightly varied to suit the 

 more favorable conditions as to soil and cover. 



Plantations will be begun this spring systematically, on an 

 area above the intake of the city water supply mains. An area 

 has been selected near an altitude of 6,000 feet that is evidently 

 potential forest land. The soil is a loam of moderate texture and 

 fertility. It now bears a scattering stand of sage brush. Each 

 year the plantations will be marked in a permanent manner, and 

 plotted upon the map of the district. In all there are about 8,000 

 acres of potential forest land upon this watershed, at present de- 

 void of tree growth, which will be reforested as funds permit. 



Aside from the actual nursery operations, field sowing is being 

 tried experimentally, in an effort to devise a satisfactory substi- 

 tute for the expensive planting. 



Experiments along the lines of preventing and curing damping- 

 off have also been made and will be made as needed in an effort 

 to determine the best local methods for producing plants of 



