54 SEEDING AND PLANTING 



stocking better sites. During early life the demands of the seed- 

 ling on the soil are primarily for adequate moisture and heat. If 

 these are present in suitable degree, any soil can nourish a full 

 stand of seedlings. 



It is not possible to state the exact number of seedlings that 

 should result from direct seeding in order to attain the best re- 

 sults. All general rules must be modified by variations in climate, 

 soil, species, and the purpose of regeneration. The more thorough 

 the preparation of the soil, the more perfect its physical condition. 

 The young seedlings suffer less loss and grow more rapidly, hence 

 the required number is less than on unprepared sites. In broad- 

 cast seeding on unprepared sites the maximum number of seed- 

 lings per acre is required. On the other hand, in partial seeding 

 where the strips or seed spots are thoroughly cultivated, success 

 is often attained with a much lower germination per acre because 

 the soil is free from competing vegetation and in better physical 

 condition. 



4. Density of the Stand from Direct Seeding in the 

 United States 



Germination counts made a few months after seeding are not 

 indicative of success or failure in the regeneration. The sensi- 

 tiveness of young seedlings to unfavorable weather conditions and 

 to injury from animal and plant parasites is so great that a 

 reasonably full germination may result in but few plants surviv- 

 ing the first few years. On the other hand, a comparatively 

 sparse germination may be followed by favorable weather con- 

 ditions and practically all of the plants may escape injury from 

 adverse site conditions. 



For the most part, attempts at artificial regeneration by direct 

 seeding in the United States have resulted in failure or too sparse 

 reproduction for acceptable stands. We have failed to appreciate the 

 necessity in most species for the germination of a large number of 

 seeds per acre. In pine, spruce and oak it should seldom fall below 

 from 8000 to 12,000 for acceptable results. When a germination of 

 from 1000 to 5000 plants has been accepted as successful so many 

 have later disappeared due to adverse weather, unfavorable soil con- 

 ditions, animal life, and plant parasites that the remaining stand has 

 been too irregular and too open for successful reproduction. The 

 sparseness of the reproduction attained under the methods prac- 



