DIRECT SEEDING. 39 



In the poisoning work done on the National Forests in 1910, it 

 was found that to cover an area thoroughly requires 1 bushel of 

 poisoned wheat to every 40 acres, a pinch of the grain being dropped 

 at intervals of 15 feet, in rows 40 feet apart. 



Petroleum should not be used to protect seed from animals, since 

 it destroys the vitality of the seed. Red lead has proven useful in 

 protecting acorns and nuts from rodents. Its use delays germination 

 only slightly, but the protection it gives is not thorough. Some- 

 times it appears even to attract birds and certain rodents. It is 

 applied by placing the wet nuts or acorns in a bag containing red 

 lead and shaking thoroughly. It should not be used if there is danger 

 of domestic stock, such as hogs, getting at the plantation. Carbolic 

 acid solutions injure seed, and are of doubtful value as protection 

 from animals. 



PROTECTION FROM STOCK AND FIRE. 



The grazing of live stock is prohibited upon areas within the 

 National Forests seeded to either coniferous or broadleaf species. 

 The small areas where experiments are being conducted require 

 fencing, and upon tracts where sowing is being done on a large scale 

 notices are posted closing the area to grazing. This, with proper 

 supervision, will prevent damage from herded stock. Where walnuts, 

 hickory nuts, acorns, and even maritime pine seed are being sown, 

 there is a fence to keep out hogs. 



Since the lightest kind of grass or ground fire will destroy young 

 seedlings, it is necessary to keep out fire absolutely. Every precau- 

 tion justified by the importance of the experiment and the value of 

 the plantation is taken to prevent fire. This, of course, applies to 

 planted as well as to seeded areas. 



COST OF SOWING. 



There are many elements which have a material bearing upon the 

 cost of sowing. The more important of these are the character of the 

 land to be sown, the method of sowing, and the species of seed used. 

 Seed of the same species may be sown by the same method on two 

 sites of equal area, yet the cost of sowing one of them will be much 

 less than that of sowing the other, because of the different character 

 of the land. Again, where land of two sites and equal area is similar 

 in character, and the same method of sowing is followed, the cost may 

 vary, because on one site the species of seed sown cost more than that 

 sown on the other. Other things being equal, the method of sowing 

 is the element which most influences the cost. The following discus- 

 sion of costs under various methods and on different kinds of sites is 

 based on actual experiments conducted on the National Forests. In 



