HOW THE FORESTER WORKS 87 



in such condition that within as short time as may be they 

 will again produce valuable products. 



One of the problems that a forester commonly meets in tak- 

 ing charge of a property is the building up of a forest that has 

 been cut over and exploited of its best timber. In such forests 

 practically everything of value has been cut or burned. Here it 

 will often be necessary to plant young trees, otherwise many 



SEED TREES 



To secure a new forest after cutting the old, foresters commonly leave two or 

 three mature trees on each acre to cast seed. Some seeds are scattered great distances, 

 others only a few yards. Usually the seedlings cluster most thickly just beyond the 

 crowns of the mother trees where they receive full sunlight and are not deprived of 

 soil moisture by the seed trees' roots. 



years might pass before nature could again cover these empty 

 spaces with valuable forest growth. First, the forester will prob- 

 ably establish a nursery and raise from seed the kinds of trees 

 best suited to form the new forest. Attempts have been made 

 to sow seed direct in the forest, but this method although 

 cheaper than planting young trees gives very uncertain results. 

 Unless both soil and weather conditions are favorable, direct 

 seeding fails to produce a satisfactory crop of trees. It is much 



