46 PRACTICAL FORESTRY IN 



cultural relation, finding that it encourages Douglas fir repro- 

 duction and is consequently advisable in Northwestern Doug- 

 las fir types unless there is an exceptionally promising sec- 

 ond growth already started. The balance will be further in 

 its favor, in doubtful cases, because of the protective feature. 

 This is discussed more fully in another chapter, but it is well 

 to recall here that immunity from recurring fire is the first 

 essential of profitable reforestation. To secure second growth 

 by treatment which threatens its destruction later is bad man- 

 agement unless the original saving is ample to cover subse- 

 quent greater cost of protection. This is seldom the case. 



How. to Reseed the Area. 



Dismissing the exceptions noted, and returning to our rule 

 that another crop of Douglas fir is usually the best secured 

 by following nature cutting practically clean, burning the 

 ground and starting a new even-aged stand we have still to 

 consider means of getting this stand started. We may depend 

 upon natural reseeding from trees preserved for the purpose 

 or from the surrounding forest, or we may resort to planting. 

 What are the comparative advantages of these two methods 

 and the circumstances governing choice between them? 



Hitherto, students of the subject have inclined to favor nat- 

 ural reproduction. The very general second growth on de- 

 forested land where no aid has been given indicates that ex- 

 cellent results will follow slight assistance. Red fir fruits fre- 

 quently and profusely, and the seeds carry well in the wind. 

 Burns have been known to restock fully from seed blown from 

 forested hills a mile or more away. Moreover, while plant- 

 ing always involves initial expense, sometimes much may be 

 done to insure natural seeding with little or no actual outlay. 



There is danger, however, that in many instances this 

 economy will be more apparent than real if it is effected by 

 actually leaving much value in seed trees. Abroad and in the 

 East there is comparatively little loss in leaving even a fourth 

 or fifth of the original stand to furnish seed. The individual 



