VI PREFACE 



be able to select or even modify the one best adapted for the 

 particular conditions that he must meet. 



Almost without exception the cultural methods described and 

 the tools and machines figured have been used by the author or 

 the results of the work observed by him in this country or abroad. 



The methods employed in nursery work and artificial regenera- 

 tion on the National Forests and the state forests and by private 

 owners of forest property have been accepted as a safe guide for 

 future work ; provided success has been attained with due regard 

 for economy. 



Some years ago the author organized the work in seeding and 

 planting for the U. S. Forest Service and through his later con- 

 nection with that Service has had the opportunity to examine 

 critically and report upon most of the nurseries and forest plan- 

 tations established in the National Forests prior to 1908. He has 

 also examined the more important state nurseries and plantations 

 and the larger private nurseries where forest stock is grown for 

 commercial purposes. A study and personal inspection has been 

 made of forest nurseries and artificial regeneration in Europe with 

 special reference to the application of methods and the introduc- 

 tion of tools that might be useful in this country. More recently 

 he has been identified with the organization of one of the largest 

 commercial forest nurseries in the United States. The experience 

 gained in the actual operations of this nursery has been freely 

 used in the preparation of the chapters dealing with nursery 

 practice. 



The introduction is devoted to a discussion of the present con- 

 dition of the forests of the United States, their economic impor- 

 tance, and the need for artificial regeneration. Part I deals with 

 the silvical basis for seeding and planting, more particularly the 

 principles which underlie the choice of species, the closeness of 

 spacing, and the composition of the stand. Part II is descriptive 

 of the various operations in artificial regeneration and the results 

 that may be expected from the best practice. 



The writer is indebted to Prof. S. J. Record and Miss S. H. 

 Webb for assistance in reading the proof sheets, and to the U. S. 

 Forest Service for some of the photographs used in illustrating 

 the text. 



JAMES W. TOUMEY. 

 NEW HAVEN, CONN. 

 May 1, 1916. 



