CONSERVATION AND MANAGEMENT OF FORESTS 335 



then it is desirable to resort to some method of artificial reproduc- 

 tion. This is also the only sure way of getting discarded agri- 

 cultural lands back into a desirable forest growth in a reasonable 

 amount of time. Artificial reproduction of forest lands has certain 

 advantages. Reproduction is immediate, since there is no waiting 



Fig. 230. — ^Timber management and natural reforestation, Couer d'Alene 

 National Forest, Idaho. {Courtesy U. S. Forest Service.) 



for a good seed year (in some tree species this occurs only once in 

 five to seven years). It is possible to control the kind of trees to be 

 grown, rather than taking natural tree species determined by 

 chance; only species that are of value for products desirable in 

 that particular locality need be grown. A fully stocked forest is 

 more certain, since the trees can be planted closely enough to 

 insure full coverage of the soil. 



