ARTIFICIAL REPRODUCTION. 63 



tracts in Maine and Massachusetts are coming up in this way to second-growth pine, and as the profit arising from 

 the protection of these youu^; forests is better understood, there is no reasou to donbt that the whole matter will in 

 a great measure regulate itself. 



In the Adirondack region and in the pine belt of Michigan, Wisconsin, and Minnesota the case is far different. 

 Under the present system forest fires are an almost necessary result of all lumbering operations. To start with, all 

 trees that are large enough are cut, and if by chance here and there one has escaped that might produce a crop 

 of seeds, it perishes in the tires that soon sweep over the ground, leaving hardly a living thing behind them, and 

 burning the seeds that under other conditions might have sprung up to form a second growth of pine. On all 

 such burned tracts pine seedlings are rarely found in any number, and yet here and there they are seen growing 

 where the fire had left a seed tree by the side of a stream or a piece of unburued ground, thus giving the seed a 

 chance to grows 



After making a careful study of the pine lands of Michigan for several years the conclusion seems plain that 

 here, exactly as in New Englaud, everything practically depends upon reseeding. Here in the Northwest the seed 

 trees have been destroyed, the seeds in the ground have been burned, and, as an inevitable consequence, the land 

 remains a wilderness and must remain so until some means are found of restoring the forests by artificial sowing or 

 planting. There is nothing in the soil itself that prevents reforesting the pine lands of Michigan at once. It is 

 because seeds are, to a great extent, wanting, and the seedlings that do start are not protected, that these pine lands 

 are left in their desolate and unproductive couditiou. 1 



The experience with White Piue in Europe fully confirms the correctness of the observations 

 above recited. White Piue abroad reproduces well, seeds abundantly, and is so particularly well 

 suited to natural reproduction that the most experienced and competent recent writers claim that 

 this tree fairly " demands 1 ' this form of regeneration. 



ARTIFICIAL REPRODUCTION. 



Concerning the artificial reproduction by seeding or planting, the experience, both in this 

 country and Europe, is quite extensive. Not only has this species been planted frequently and 

 for a long time in New England and in other parts of its natural range, even for forest purposes, 

 but thrifty groves have been established also in the Western prairies beyond the limits of natural 

 distribution. In Germany larger or smaller plantations were made in many localities near the 

 beginning of the century. 



The planting in this country has, however, not usually proceeded with a knowledge of proper 

 forestry practice. As a rule, plants have been set out too old, and hence the planting has proved 

 expensive; usually, also, it has been too wide spaced to secure the most desirable result in form 

 development. Another point also usually neglected is the admixture of other species to stimulate 

 the growth of the pines and possibly to reduce the expense of covering the ground. 



In Europe the majority of pine plantations made with Scotch Pine (Plnus silvestris) is made 

 with one-year-old seedlings, which is done very cheaply and expeditiously, often on unprepared 

 ground, when one man may set 1,000 to 1,500 plants in a day. 



For White Pine, especially under our conditions, where the young plants have much to contend 

 with in the way of climatic ills, weed growth, etc., this method is probably not applicable. 



Two-year and even three-year old plants, grown in seed beds and once transplanted in nursery 

 rows, to produce a stocky root system and growth, will probably be more successful, being better 

 prepared to overcome adversities. 



The seedlings, grown from seed sown either broadcast or in drills in the seedibeds, must be 

 shaded during the first two years, as is usual with conifers in this country. After the second year 

 they will endure the hottest sun. The shade must be graduated according to the weather, as the 

 seedlings are liable to damp off the first season if too much shaded and to burn off if not shaded 

 enough. 



As there are about 1,800 seeds to the ounce, it will take about 5 to G ounces to the 100 feet of 

 drill, unless the seed be specially poor, when greater allowance will have to be made in proportion 



1 We are likely to repeat in the Northwest, on an extensive scale, the history of several of the Eastern States. 

 Under inducements held out to encourage immigration, many settlers have been led to take up land all through the 

 worst part of Michigan and Wisconsin, including the "barrens." They clear the land, seed it, if they can, with 

 clover, and put in other crops, work in the adjacent pine woods for a living, and "develop the country," thus doing 

 for the State exactly what needs to be done and what the State has neglected to do for itself; but it is a disastrous 

 experiment for the settlers. The many farms kept up in this way for a while may finally be abandoned, but the 

 whole region will then be in a great measure secured against extensive fires, and the lands that have been plowed 

 and worked over will be in a better condition for reforesting. 



