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 TREE PLANTING 



The present program of planting 100, 000 to 150, 000 seedlings annually 

 will be continued as long as there arc areas requiring this method to get new 

 stands started. The seedlings will be obtained fronn the company tree nursery 

 located in Libby. The need for restocking company timberlands and the value 

 of this program in providing employment for loggers during the break-up period 

 in the spring makes tree planting doubly attractive. 



Christmas tree stock will be planted where feasible with the timber type 

 seedlings to provide a more rapid return from planting areas. 



Machine planting will be done wherever possible because of the cheaper 

 cost and better survival over hand planting, as experienced in the last ten year 

 period. 



DIRECT SEEDING 



Due to the fact that seeding costs per acre amount to about 20% of plant- 

 ing costs, work on this method of regenerating stands will be continued. Of the 

 3780 acres seeded in the l^st seven years, about one-third of this seeding re- 

 sulted in adequate stocking. 



Helicopter seeding in the winter on the snow gave the best results and 

 using Panama seeders on spring seeding gave the poorest results. Broaccast- 

 ing seed by hand ga'^e results similar to helicopter seeding but was more ex- 

 pensive. Areas under 200 acres cost more with helicopter because of dead- 

 head timie. 



All areas seeded must have adequate site preparation to give at least 

 33% bare mineral soil. Burning, dozer scarification or scalping nriay be used 

 for this purpose. 



