ESTABLISHING FORESTS BY PLANTING 365 



than a foot in height should seldom be used in forest planting. 

 Coniferous species, with the exception of larch and a few rapidly 

 growing cedars, are best suited for planting purposes when from 

 4 to 10 inches in height. Because of its more rapid juvenile growth 

 the stock of broadleaved species is usually larger. 



The chief advantages Avhich result from the use of small stock 

 are as follows: 



a. It is usually much less expensive. 



b. The cost of handling and planting is considerably less. 



c. There is less interruption in growth due to the lifting, trans- 

 port, and planting of the stock. 



d. The root system is less liable to injury. 



These important advantages are often more than counterbal- 

 anced by the following disadvantages: 



a. It is less able to compete with grass or other vegetation on 

 the planting site. 



b. It is more likely to die or be severely injured by summer 

 drought, because the roots immediately after planting are not so 

 deeply imbedded in the soil. 



In most cases cost limits the size of stock that can be advan- 

 tageously used in forest planting. The smallest stock that it is 

 safe to plant on each particular site should be used. Small stock 

 should be used in underplanting because of the effect of the over- 

 wood in retaining moisture in the surface soil and the relative 

 freedom of the site from grasses and other herbage. On the other 

 hand, large stock should be used on open sites overrun with vege- 

 tation or where the surface soil is porous and likely to become 

 overdry during the growing season. Large plants should also 

 be used in filling blanks in plantations already formed, on sites 

 where small and tender plants are liable to be injured by frost 

 and in mixture with another species of more rapid juvenile 

 growth. 



The age of the stock, in most instances, varies from 1 to 4 years. 

 With broadleaved species the age is usually 1 or 2 years, while 

 with most conifers it is from 2 to 4 years. 1 



1 One-year seedlings of white pine have been successfully used in under- 

 planting open stands of mixed hardwoods in southern Connecticut. The use 

 of similar stock for planting open fields has invariably resulted in failure. 

 One-year Scotch pine is extensively used in planting operations in Prussia, 

 but only on carefully prepared sites where the vegetation has been removed 

 and the site thoroughly cultivated. 



