ESTABLISHING FORESTS BY DIRECT SEEDING 227 



Spiral borers 1 are very efficient implements for loosening the 

 soil for seed spots that are only from 4 to 6 inches in diameter 

 (Fig. 44). They are forced vertically into the ground and turned 

 around to the right until the soil is thoroughly loosened to the 



a b 



FIG. 43. Torsion rake. FIG. 44. Spiral borers. 



required depth. The seed is then pressed into the soil or placed 

 on the surface and covered by hand with fine earth. 



A Swedish seed flask devised by Hallstrone has given good 

 results in distributing a uniform amount of seed over the seed 

 spot. In using this flask, however, the seed spots are made and 

 the seed sown by different workmen. 



16. THE COST OF SEEDING IN SPOTS. The cost of sowing 

 in seed spots depends chiefly upon the labor required for the 

 preparation of the spots for the reception of the seed. When 

 the site is foul and the ground hard and compact necessitat- 

 ing the removal of the surface vegetation and the loosening of the 

 soil to a depth of 6 inches or more, the cost is usually as high as 



1 Gayer, Karl: Der Waldbau. 4. Aufl., S. 331. Berlin, 1898. 



