170 A MANUAL OF FORESTRY. 



high rotation, because in very rare instances only 

 do coppice shoots reach the same size as seedling 

 trees. 



The questions which interest the Sylviculturist most 

 are 



(1.) Whether to sow direct or plant on cleared 



areas. 

 (2.) Whether to regenerate existing woods artificially, 



or naturally by seed. 



(3.) Whether or not combinations best meet the 

 objects of management. 



These three questions, then, will be shortly discussed 

 in the following pages. 



A. Choice between Direct Sowing and Planting. 



Formerly the artificial formation of woods was chiefly 

 effected by direct sowing, planting being restricted to 

 special cases where the other method was not likely 

 to succeed. The reasons for this were, that sowing 

 was considered to be more certain, cheaper, and that 

 it was generally the custom to use too large 

 transplants. In the course of time the raising of 

 plants was elaborated, smaller plants were used and 

 the expense considerably reduced, so that now far 

 more planting than direct sowing is done. Yet it 

 is not always a foregone conclusion that planting is 

 better or more suitable than direct sowing, since many 

 differing conditions and factors affect the ultimate 

 results. The effect of some of these factors is as yet 

 somewhat obscure, but in many respects experience has 

 taught the forester which of the two methods is prefer- 



