198 SEEDING AND PLANTING 



The establishing of a suitable grass cover cannot usually be at- 

 tained for less than from $30 to $75 per acre. In time shrubs 

 and other vegetation come in on the leeward side of the foredune, 

 rendering it more stable and decreasing the cost of maintenance. 

 After the foredune has been formed and adequately fixed the im- 

 portant work of planting in its lee should be undertaken. This 

 should have for its object the ultimate development of a forest. 

 AVhen left to themselves these sandy stretches gradually become 

 covered with vegetation, but the process is so slow that the only 

 practical method for reclamation is to fix the sand by planting sand 

 grass or by other means and after it is sufficiently stable to set out 

 young trees. In fixing the sand behind the foredune, brush, sod, 

 and similar materials are often useful. 



14. ESTABLISHING THE FOREST. After the sand in the lee of 

 the foredune is adequately fixed the site is ready for forestation. 

 As a rule, coniferous trees are preferable. However, in some in- 

 stances rapidly-growing deciduous species such as birches and 

 alders are used on special sites. Direct seeding is rarely success- 

 ful due to the adverse conditions of the site. Three or 4-year 

 transplants should usually be used. They should be closely 

 spaced and all failures reset the following season. The species 

 acceptable for use depend upon the locality. Pitch pine has been 

 used to a large extent in fixing the coast dunes in New England. 1 

 Blue gum, Monterey cypress, and acacias have proved useful in 

 places along the Pacific coast. 



15. The Tillage of the Soil 



The tillage of the soil necessary for successful regeneration de- 

 pends upon the circumstances of each particular case. The more 

 thoroughly the soil is prepared for the reception of the seed or 

 the young plants the less is the loss from unfavorable w r eather 

 conditions and the more vigorous the growth. Nearly always, 

 particularly in direct seeding, some form of soil loosening or till- 

 age is necessary. 2 Mayr 3 states that all unfavorable sites not 



1 Westgate, J. M.: Reclamation of Cape Cod sand dunes. (U. S. Bur. 

 PI. Ind., Bui. 65. 1904.) 



2 Cox, W. T.: Reforestation on the national forests. (U. S. Forest Service, 

 Bui. 98. 1911.) 



3 Mayr, Heinrich: Waldbau auf naturgesetzlicher Grundlage. Berlin, 

 1909. 



