SYLVICULTURE 35 



Direct Sowing: Soil Cultivation 



The task of reclaiming the land having been carried out, 

 or happily found to be unnecessary, the forester's attention is 

 directed to soil preparation. This consists in rendering the 

 forest area suitable for the reception of seeds or plants. 

 Soil preparation must aim at making the conditions favour- 

 able for the germination of seed, or for the proper develop- 

 ment of young plants. It consists of, first, the removal of any 

 harmful soil covering ; second, the cultivation of the soil. 



Should there be but a sparse growth of grass or a thin 

 coating of leaves or moss, the soil cover will require no 

 attention ; but if there be shrubs, heather, blaeberry, broom, 

 or rough grass, these must be disposed of by cutting, paring 

 the surface, or in some cases by burning. 



On light soils liable to become unstable, or on slopes where 

 washing away of the soil is to be feared, complete removal 

 of the surface cover should never be resorted to ; to expose 

 only strips or patches of the soil is then infinitely preferable. 



Soil cultivation may be accomplished through the complete 

 tillage of the soil by the loosening of the surface only, or 

 by partial working at the spots where the plants or seeds are 

 to be introduced. 



Complete working of the whole area is seldom practised. 

 It is only advisable where agricultural land is being trans- 

 formed into woodland. The ground, after being cultivated, 

 may bear agricultural crops for a few (two to four) years. 

 It may then be sown or lines of forest trees planted, and 

 between these lines the ground may still be utilised for a year 

 or two for the growth of crops. This cheapens the forma- 

 tion of the wood, and furthers its growth by the thorougn 

 cultivation of the soil. On the other hand, the agricultural 

 crop extracts much of the soil's nourishing matter, so that by 

 taking several crops from poor land the trees suffer. 



Surface loosening of the soil is effected by the use of the 

 grubber or cultivator, horse-hoe, harrow, hand-hoe, and rake. 



The system most in vogue in well-conducted forestry is 



