164 AHTIFICIAL FORMATION OF WOODS. 



horizontal direction and be level, or nearly so, to prevent 

 denudation. On very steep slopes the seed beds sbould form 

 terraces. 



The width of the sown strips depends principally on the 

 degree to which the unsown strips are likely to be overrun by 

 weeds, brambles, etc., and on the rate of height growth of the 

 species during early youth ; the greater the former and the 

 slower the latter, the broader should be the sown strips. 

 Generally the width would range between 18 inches and 

 3 feet. 



The distance between the strips depends on similar con- 

 siderations. In addition, the desired density of the wood 

 has to be considered. The distance would ordinarily range 

 between 3 and 6 feet. 



The cultivation of the soil is generally done with the hoe 

 or plough ; the sowing is best done by hand, a method which 

 various machines have not yet succeeded in superseding. 

 The seed should be covered up with rakes or harrows, and 

 in the case of heavy seeds sometimes with the plough. 



Apart from a reduction of expenditure, strip sowing has 

 other advantages over broadcast sowing; the soil can, with- 

 out incurring an excessive expenditure, be more carefully 

 prepared and the seedlings more effectually protected. 



"When each strip consists of one or perhaps two furrows, 

 drawn with a plough, the method is called >>oiciii(i iu fiirroics ; 

 it is specially employed in the case of heavy seeds, which are 

 sown in the furrow and covered, either by drawing a second 

 furrow or with the rake or hoe. It admits of a further 

 reduction of expenditure as compared with regular strips. 



//. Soiriny in Patrlu'><. 



The seed beds consist of round, oblong, square or rectan- 

 gular patches of limited extent, scattered as evenly as prac- 

 ticable over the area. The extent of the patches varies 

 according to circumstances ; they may l)e of any size, but are 

 mostly from 1 to 3 feet square, or they assume the shape of 



