ESTABLISHING A WOODLOT 45 



Large seeds are usually sown about 2 or 3 feet apart in the 

 furrow and the furrows run about six feet apart. 



Direct seeding has the advantage of being rapid and cheap. 

 On the other hand the seed may be eaten by birds, squirrels, 

 mice or other rodents, or it may be infertile. The small seed- 

 lings that come up the first year may be crowded out or sup- 

 pressed by weeds, grass or other growth, unless they can be 

 cultivated. Direct seeding will succeed only under favorable 

 conditions. On poor sites and in unfavorable seasons it will 

 not prove successful. Reproduction by seedspots, however, 

 is a most practical method and one that can be carried out to 

 good effect in the woodlot. Where the conditions have been 

 favorable good results have been secured by direct seeding of 

 walnut, butternut, ash, silver maple, red and burr oak, black 

 cherry, and white, red, Scotch and pitch pine. In the West 

 large areas are sometimes broadcasted with seed of the conifer- 

 ous trees of the region, often with considerable success. 



STARTING A WOODLOT BY PLANTING THE TREES 



With most kinds of trees it is best to plant the seed in a 

 nursery and grow the seedlings for a year or two where they 

 can be given proper care and cultivation during the early 

 period. Strong and hardy little trees with stocky root sys- 

 tems can be obtained in this way that will usually grow when 

 planted even on poor situations. 



Because it is believed large trees must be used that can be 

 produced only at great expense, is one reason why more wood- 

 lots are not started by planting. One or two year old seed- 

 lings that can easily be raised by the farmer on the farm are 

 the best trees to use for starting a woodlot or forest planting. 

 It would be of advantage to every farm to have a small forest 

 nursery for growing forest trees for starting forest plantings 

 and for filling in bare spots in the woodlot, and for growing 

 larger trees for planting along the road and about the house. 



