DIRECT SOWING VERSUS PLANTING. 265 



Unfavourable localities are those with a wet, occasionally 

 inundated, or very moist, heavy, cold soil ; excessively loose, 

 dry, or poor soils ; those subject to be overrun by a heavy 

 growth of weeds, or where frost lifting may be expected. 

 Similarly, planting is far preferable to direct sowing where 

 extremes of climate prevail, such as in raw, frosty, exposed 

 localities. 



On steep slopes planting is also preferable, but in very 

 stony soil direct sowing may become a necessity. 



5. External Dangers. 



Seeds, as well as young seedlings, are subject to attacks by 

 various animals, against which they can be more eli'ectually 

 protected in a nursery than in the forest ; hence, on this 

 account, planting is preferable to direct sowing. As regards 

 attacks by insects, it is an open question which of the t^vo 

 methods is preferable. As long as only thoroughly healthy 

 plants are used and put out with care, they may hold their 

 own and even do better than seedlings in direct sowings ; but 

 weak plants, or those which have difficulty in establishing 

 themselves quickly in their new home, are more subject to 

 attacks by insects than seedlings grown in situ. The same 

 often holds good as regards attacks by fungi. 



6. Labour. 



Unless direct sowings necessitate a thorough working of the 

 soil, they require less labour than planting. Where labour 

 is scarce direct sowing, therefore, may prove to be cheaper. 

 Planting also requires more skilled labour than direct sowing. 



7. Cost. 



Whether direct sowing or planting is the cheaper method 

 depends on the price of seed, the extent to which the soil has 

 to be worked for direct sowings, and the cost of plants. Direct 

 sowing is generally cheaper, but if seed is expensive and 



