44 FARM FORESTRY 



seeding. The seed should be sown in the early spring. Seed- 

 ing on the snow as it melts will often give good results with 

 some species. Broadcasting after a fire when the leaves and 

 weeds have been burned and the mineral soil exposed has often 

 proved successful with some trees. 



The Seedspot Method. In the seedspot method the seed 

 is sown in prepared seed spots a foot or more square. The 

 soil is dug up and cultivated on these spots. The seed is then 

 sown and covered well with earth. The spots are usually 

 spaced 6 feet by 6 feet apart. Good results are usually ob- 

 tained by this method. Small seeds like pine, birch and elm 

 are very successfully planted in this way, about 20 to 30 seeds 

 being sown in each spot. Seed producing trees having tap- 

 roots like walnut, hickory, butternut, chestnut and oaks are 

 best started by sowing the seed where the trees are to grow. 

 With these larger seeds it is usual to plant 2 or 3 seeds in 

 each spot. More seeds are planted than trees are wanted to 

 allow for failures. All seeds are not fertile. Where several 

 trees come up on a seed spot they can be thinned out and the 

 extra trees planted where no trees have resulted. Small seeds 

 should be covered lightly and large seeds planted about twice 

 their diameter below the surface, and the soil well firmed 

 above them. Seed gathered from the ground in the spring 

 where they have been stratified naturally over winter can be 

 successfully planted in seed spots. 



Seeding in Strips or Furrows. Instead of cultivating the 

 entire area previous to sowing the seed, strips across the 

 planting area several feet wide and spaced an even distance 

 apart are sometimes prepared by plowing or otherwise break- 

 ing the surface of the soil and the seed sown broadcast on these 

 strips. Often single furrows are turned by a plow six feet 

 or more apart and the seed sown on the exposed soil. Brush 

 drawn along the strips or furrows will cover smaller seeds 

 thus sown. With walnuts, butternuts and other large seed 

 the sods can be turned back into the furrow to cover the seed. 



