44 FORESTATION, SAND HILLS NEBRASKA AND KANSAS. 



FIELD SOWING. 



As early as the spring of 1903 direct seeding, or the sowing of 

 seed in the field where the trees are to stand, was attempted. The 

 seed was simply broadcasted, and nothing came of it. Further 

 sowing of yellow pine was tried in 1904, but with corn planters to 

 get the seed into the soil. Little evidence of germination was found, 

 and no trees grew. The total failure may be ascribed largely to the 

 activities of field mice arid other rodents, which, in spite of the red- 

 lead covering which was placed on the seed, had begun uncovering 

 and devouring them within three days. The idea of poisoning these 

 rodents had not at that time been developed. No success was 

 attained with direct seeding on the Nebraska Forest until 1909, and 

 then on such a small scale that it has had no practical influence. In 

 that year seed of yellow, Scotch, and jack pines were broadcasted 

 on the heavy litter under sand-hill willows and thoroughly raked in. 

 Within a short time seedlings appeared, and while all species ger- 

 minated, only the yellow-pine seedlings survived. These, at the 

 end of the third summer, made a stand of about 850 seedlings per 

 acre. Considering that five seeds were sown to the square foot, this 

 is a very poor showing. However, conditions appear to be so favor- 

 able under the willow clumps that the possibility of obtaining a stand 

 by sowing in prepared seed spots is being investigated. So far, 

 rodents and birds seem to be the chief agents of failure. 



In Nebraska direct seeding will never take the place of planting 

 on any but the most favorable sites, and possibly not there. It holds 

 no promise at all for the Kansas sand hills. 



EFFECT OF CLIMATE ON TIME OF PLANTING. 



Those climatic conditions of the sand hills which are unfavorable 

 to tree planting can not be changed as a whole, though as planting 

 progresses trees which are already established will temper the wind 

 to those newly planted. On the other hand, the favorable climatic 

 conditions of early spring can be used to advantage, and the trees 

 can be well established in their new conditions before the sum- 

 mer dry weather sets in. The' dry periods are usually of rather 

 short duration, but are very trying. To take advantage of the spring 

 season planting is begun just as soon as the frost is out of the ground, 

 especially on south slopes, which dry out very rapidly. The effective- 

 ness of early planting is shown not only by the generally greater 

 success with it in the last two or three years, but particularly by the 

 good results attained on south slopes, which, it was at first thought, 

 would be impossible to plant at all. 



Fall planting has been abandoned because of the lack of snow, 

 which leaves the newly planted trees exposed to drying winds for 



