184 FOREST PLANTING. 



agement low forests by which the reproduction of 

 the trees is done in the natural way of allowing shoots 

 and sprouts to grow up cannot realize the end aimed 

 at, although on many places the condition of the ground 

 will prevent us from raising standard trees in the usual 

 way. In such cases the forester must be satisfied for a 

 long time if he is able to produce a vegetation which will 

 simply improve and respectively increase the soil. 

 Commonly this is done by growing grasses upon the 

 poor grounds, and, when they have increased the mould, 

 bushes may occupy the area, after which planting of 

 forest-trees may be begun, provided the soil has attained 

 sufficient solidity and compactness. 



CHAPTER II. 



RE-PLANTING FORESTS IN MOUNTAINS. 



Selection of Trees Planting or Seeding. 



FOREST vegetation in the plains depends almost ex- 

 clusively upon the condition of the soil ; but in the 

 mountains, besides this, the climate and the formation of 

 the soil play an important part. 



By the spontaneous vegetation we perceive at once 

 that with the vertical elevation of the mountains, the 

 temperature of the air gradually is decreasing. This 

 fact proves that there are climatic stations of vegetation, 

 the most downward of which corresponds with the vege- 

 tation in the plains on foot of the mountains, while the 

 elevated regions manifestly develop mountainous peculi- 

 arities.* In regard to forest vegetation the tree-growing 



* It is a well known fact that the average temperature of a locality is 

 decreased in proportion to its distance from the Equator. This prin- 

 ciple also holds pood in regard to territorial elevations above the sea- 

 level. For we find that each elevation of 300 feet above the sea-level 

 (finals, in regard to average temperature, a distance of one degree (65 

 miles) northward from the Equator. 



