ESTABLISHING FORESTS BY DIRECT SEEDING 225 



tions of soil and soil cover. A straight handle is substituted for 

 the ordinary crooked handle and the 5 tines are bent inward 

 at right angles 4| inches from the end, thus forming a 5-toothed 

 rake with broad, flexible teeth. It is strong and durable and does 

 efficient work even on compact soils and areas covered with con- 

 siderable surface vegetation (Fig. 41). 



FIG. 41. Tools useful for making small seed spots. 



A. European rake with broad, flat teeth. 



B. Standard spading fork with teeth bent to form a rake. 



In sowing in small seed spots the crew usually works in 1-man 

 units, and the spacing is judged by the eye. The straightness 

 of the rows is of minor importance so long as the spots are 

 distributed with reasonable uniformity. The seed is usually car- 

 ried in a sack under the left arm, suspended from the shoulder 

 and fastened at the belt. After the surface vegetation has been 

 removed and the soil thoroughly loosened and mixed the seed is 

 scattered over the surface, covered with mineral soil and pressed 

 down with the feet. 



A number of special implements have been devised for loosen- 

 ing the soil in seed spots and regulating the amount of seed sown 

 in each spot. The Eckbo seed planter (Fig. 42) consists of a thin 

 steel tube, 4 feet long and 1^ inches in diameter with a detach- 

 able rake on one end and a screw cap on the other. The rake is 

 6j or 7| inches wide with 5 or 6 cylindrical teeth. The seed is 



