THTIECT SOWIXG AMD PLANTING COMPARED. 327 



the nature of the- low growth, useful or otherwise, that is already 

 on the ground ; or it may be to introduce a similar mixture into a 

 copse or to assure therein a continuous supply of seedling shoots 

 in order to maintain the quality of the regrowth, in which case 

 planting will be the general rule ; or it may be to raise a protec- 

 tive fringe of trees, where again planting will be almost invariably 

 adopted ; and so on. 



XI. Cost. 



In comparing the relative cost of the two methods, two things 

 must be borne in mind. In the first place, it is certain that plant- 

 ing is, as a rule, subject to fewer failures, and hence involves a 

 smaller outlay on repairs, the figure for which may often, in case 

 f indifferent success, equal and even several times exceed the first 

 cost, so that the first cost alone is not a sufficient criterion by 

 which to gauge the expensiveness of either method ; and, in the 

 second place, we know that as respects the first cost itself, the 

 smaller the planting material is, especially if it consists of seedlings, 

 the more nearly does planting in its results approach direct sowing, 

 and that with increasing size or age of the transplants that figure 

 increases, not in arithmetical, but geometrical ratio. But the ques- 

 tion of cost must, under any circumstances, be subordinated to 

 that of success, and becomes a deciding factor only when success 

 is to be obtained by either method ; and then too, if direct sowing 

 is cheaper, the choice will depend also on the answer returnable to 

 the question Does the greater rapidity of results secured by plant- 

 ing at least compensate for the higher expenditure it involves ? If 

 it does not offer a sufficient compensation, we must sow, otherwise- 

 planting would be the method to aclopt.. 



In India we have a 3 yet no trustworthy data for comparing the 

 relative cost of the two methods. In their absence the folio win f 



O 



figures, taken from Gayer and referring to Bavaria, will be found 

 both intei'esting and useful. The average daily wage of a work- 

 man is taken at 8 annas. 



Conifers sown in plough- made furrows, width of cultivated 



interval 4' ... ... ... ... Ra. 6-8 per acre 



Scots' pine or silver fir sown in strips 2' wide, uncultivated 



interval 4' ... ... ... ... ,, 8-14 ,, 



Conifer yearlings planted 2' apart in lines 4' apart ... 7-12 



2-3 year old silver fir or Scots' pine planted 40" x 40" ... 12-18 ,, ,, 



Ball-planting 3-4 year old silver fir, &c ; distance of trans- 

 port moderate ... ... ... 16-24 



Planting middle-size broad-leaved seedlings forced by re- 

 peated cutting back, 4' x 4' ... ... ... 24-50 ,, . 



Mound-planting of silveriir, 4' x 4' .. ... 28-44 ,, ,, 



Planting large seedlings (6-8 years old), 56" x 56" ... 120-180 



