ESTABLISHING FORESTS BY DIRECT SEEDING 



229 



spruce and larch are usually covered too deep on loose, sandy soil. 

 The successful regeneration of yellow pine has been attained in 

 the Black Hills, South Dakota, by seeding with the corn planter 

 in loose soils free of surface vegetation. Sowing in prepared seed 



Photograph by U. S. Forest Service 

 FIG. 46. Direct seeding with the corn planter. Pike National Forest. 



spots, although more costly than seeding with the corn planter, 

 has almost entirely superseded the latter, due to the greater cer- 

 tainty in securing a successful stand. 



18. Sowing in Pits and on Mounds. When the site is ex- 

 cessively wet or overdry, the seed spots should be raised above or 

 lowered below the general surface of the ground so as to attain 

 better soil moisture conditions. Lowering the surface of the seed 

 spot from 4 to 8 inches causes the surface water to collect in the 

 pit and thoroughly saturate the soil. There is less danger of the 

 young seedlings suffering from summer droughts. Seeding in pits 

 is best on loose, porous soils. 



On overwet sites the seed spots may be raised on mounds of 

 sufficient height to bring the germinating seeds and the young 

 seedlings well above the high water mark. After the mounds are 

 formed, seeding should be delayed until the ground is in good tilth. 

 The large amount of hand labor involved in constructing mounds 

 makes this method of soil preparation prohibitive except in 

 special cases. 



