72 OUR NATIONAL FORESTS 



that of the seeding was about $4.50 per acre. The 

 1917 costs were slightly higher, due to the increased 

 cost of labor and supplies. 



The reforesting methods of the Forest Service 

 mean the collection of large quantities of seeds and 

 the growing of large quantities of small trees for 

 planting. Since 1911 the Forest Service has col- 

 lected over 175,000 pounds of seeds for its direct 

 seeding and planting work. During the fiscal year 

 1916 the Forest Service had 14 large tree-nurseries 

 and 7 small ones, which had in them over 37 million 

 young trees which would, in a short time, be planted 

 in the field. From these figures it is readily seen 

 that the reforestation work on the National Forests 

 is conducted on a large scale. 



Direct Seeding Work on the National Forests. 

 The direct seeding work on the National Forests 

 involves many more problems than one would at 

 first thought suppose. Seed must be collected and 

 extracted; it must be stored, if it is not used im- 

 mediately; if the seed is sown it must be protected 

 from rodents and very often the ground must be 

 prepared before the seed is sown. 



Seeds are collected in various ways. Often 

 cones are purchased at advertised rates from per- 



