Seed Sowing on National Forests 9 



the returns from the disposal of the timber products. In view 

 of this fact, planting on important watersheds need not be re- 

 stricted to such lands that will show in a given number of years, 

 a profit from timber produced, over and above the initial ex- 

 pense, figured at compound interest. Likewise, in regions where 

 the timber supply is limited and inadequate for the future de- 

 velopment of the locality, the Forest Service will be justified 

 in going to greater expense in the work of reforestation than 

 in other parts where timber production is of less importance. 



The planting of nursery stock is both slow and expensive, 

 in most cases. Broadcast seed sowing, although generally con- 

 ceded to be a cheaper mode of reforestation on suitable areas, 

 is oftentimes more expensive than when plant material is used. 

 This is due in most cases to the high cost of the seed used, as 

 well as to the cost of preparing the ground, and to a lesser ex- 

 tent, to the topography and inaccessibility of the country. 

 Since seed collecting methods are being perfected to a marked 

 degree, due to the extensive collecting which is being done, the 

 cost of seed is being constantly reduced, and as soon as expe- 

 rience has shown the most economical methods of sowing, it is 

 very probable that large areas in the more favorable locations 

 can be stocked by broadcasting, at a cost far below the expense 

 that would be incurred if nursery stock was planted. This 

 method of using a maximum amount of seed with a minimum of 

 labor in broadcasting, as against the use of a minimum amount 

 of seed, and a maximum amount of labor, when nursery stock is 

 planted, will only be more economical when the cost of the seed 

 is kept at a low figure. 



The seed collecting operations of the Forest Service, which 

 in 1908 assumed proportions of considerable magnitude, were 

 very successful in most cases. On account of the lack of other 

 men, forest supervisors were asked to collect quantities of conif- 

 erous seed on their forests. In many cases, neither the super- 

 visors nor the rangers detailed for the work had had any previous 

 experience in seed collecting, and although the best methods 

 were not always used, as a whole, the results were very satis- 

 factory. It is quite frequently the case that collecting opera- 

 tions are not commenced early enough in the season and the 

 work is made more difficult on account of the fact that part of 

 the cones have opened and released the seed. 



The method of collecting cones w r hich has proven most 

 effective in reducing the cost of seed is that of gathering from 

 squirrel stores. To most any woodsman, the squirrels' store of 

 pine cones is a commonplace thing, but a person with little 

 experience in the woods might ride for days and never know that 



