76 A MANUAL OF FORESTRY. 



home, or they may be lifted by alternate frost and thaw. 

 Autumn-planting is preferable in the case of localities 

 which are not accessible until late in spring, or of 

 species which start early in spring. 



Spring-planting has the advantages that labour is 

 more readily obtainable, and the period of severe frost 

 is past. On the whole it is preferable to autumn- 

 planting, provided the work can be completed before 

 vegetation begins. In many cases, especially when the 

 operations are conducted on a large scale, both spring 

 and autumn-planting have to be done. 



Over the greater part of India the most favourable 

 season of the year is the commencement of the summer 

 rains ; the plants receive sufficient moisture, and they 

 have the whole growing season before them to settle 

 down in their new home and to get strong before the next 

 dry season comes round. Land which can be irrigated 

 may be planted at any season, provided the soil is not 

 frozen. 



6. Density of Planting. 



The general principles which govern the density of 

 direct sowing apply also here ; that is to say the cover 

 overhead should be established within a period of from 5 

 to 10 years. As plants come on more regularly than 

 seedlings grown on the spot, planting may be done more 

 sparingly than sowing. For the rest the planting dis- 

 tance depends on : 



(a.) The locality, in so far as it influences the per- 

 centage of failures and the vigour of the 

 plants. 



(b.) The species, especially its degree of hardiness 

 and rate of height-growth in early youth. 



