322 DIRECT SOWING AND PLANTING COMPARED. 



just as it was also sown at Shahdara near Lahore, on the low 

 banks of the Bias. 



2. Land with only lateral tree-shelter* 



The effectiveness of such shelter will depend on the width of the 

 area and the height, width, closeness and position of the flanking 

 belt of forest. We will therefore consider separately the case (a) 

 of narrow bands cleared through standing forest, (b) of small 

 scattere-i blanks, and (c) of large clearings. 



NARROW BANDS CLE\RED THROUGH STANDING FOREST. Such 

 bands may have tall standing forest on both sides or on one side 

 only. In these bands the action of frost and of dangerous winds is 

 mitigated or completely checked, the sun's heat is tempered, wide 

 and sudden fluctuations of temperature both above and under 

 ground are prevented, rain falls directly on the young plants and 

 washes off the dust clinging to their leaves, the deposition of dews 

 is unimpeded and leavy, the moisture of both the soil and the air 

 is fairly well preserved, and the covering of dead leaves is retained 

 in its place and is able to decompose and form humus. Besides, 

 such lines do not afford good breeding places for insects. 



Under these circumstances, if there is danger of stool-shoots or 

 suckers springing up from the stools and roots of the exploited trees, 

 it will generally be a matter of indifference whether we sow or plant 

 as long as other considerations do not rigidly fix the choice for us. 

 If the appearance of stool-shoots and suckers in unavoidable, then 

 we must plant, save in the very exceptional instance of an extremely 

 shade-enduring species that is able ultimately to pierce the dense low 

 cover of coppice, when we may, for the sake of economy, sow. 



SMALL SCATTERED BLANKS. These may be places where pre- 

 vious artificial or natural regeneration operations have failed, or 

 they may be little openings caused by windfalls or other accidents, 

 or they may be clearings purposely made with the object of re- 

 generation. In the first case, the proved difficulty of regeneration 

 will compel us to plant. In the other two cases, the existing shelter 

 will be far more effective than in cleared bands of the same width, 

 and the extent of the opening may be so slight as to render 

 possible the early restoration of the leaf-canopy. Here then we 

 must plant or, sow according to the abundance and size of the advance 

 growth (Condition II) or, in the absence of advance growth, 

 according to the necessity of getting up a strong new generation 

 early or late (Condition IX). But if the blank has existed long 

 enough for the soil to have begun to deteriorate, then it will 



