PLANTING AND REGENERATION 123 



within six or eight years of the clearing of the ground. 

 It is very probable that the best and heaviest seeds are 

 not carried more than 100 yards at the most, and the 

 method first described, of leaving single trees or small groups 

 over the entire area, probably gives the best results, and 

 should be followed as much as possible. It often happens 

 that ground cleared of Scots fir gets wet or swampy after 

 the trees are cut, and in such cases it is necessary to attend 

 to existing drains, or to cut them if not already present, 

 otherwise the growth of the seedlings will be checked, and 

 their proper development prevented. 



The natural regeneration of other species than those 

 mentioned above is attended with a great deal of uncertainty, 

 and it is doubtful if any good will be done by attempting it. 

 No doubt, a large number of introduced trees ripen their 

 seed, and reproduce themselves on a small scale whenever 

 they meet with favourable conditions; but the crop likely 

 to be produced in this way is invariably so small, and 

 irregularly distributed, that its value is practically nil, 

 although self-sown seedlings of all kinds are always inter- 

 esting, and should be encouraged and protected whenever 

 they occur. 



