THE FORMATION OF FORESTS ila ire 
ciated. In many places, as on our Western prairies, 
where no forests naturally exist, there is of course 
no other way. In regions where the forest consists 
wholly of undesirable and unremunerative species, 
it pays in the end to cut clean and plant afresh. In 
most of our woods the best species have been re- 
moved. The forest weeds and the least useful spe- 
cies have been left, and have complete possession of 
the soil. In order to establish in such places good 
even-aged stands of the most valuable species, plant- 
ing is necessary. To be sure, one can gradually im- 
prove a very poor forest by careful cutting, and by 
the gradual introduction of new species by planting 
here and there, or by dibbling in seed, but the quick- 
est, simplest, and most remunerative way in many 
cases is to cut clean and plant afresh. Whenever a 
forest can be quickly regenerated naturally with the 
species desired, it would of course be foolish to 
plant; but where one is working on land covered with 
a lot of undesirable kinds left over from a lumber- 
man’s ravages, with no hope of getting it into desir- 
able shape for many years to come, the best way is the 
shortest and surest—cut clean, and begin at the be- 
ginning. 
Planting may be practised with all species, but 
it is especially adapted to tender kinds which require 
attention in youth, and to species the'seed of which 
