18 THE NATIONAL FOREST MANUAL. 



to another in a current of air. Broken leaves and cone scales can be 

 removed by the use of wire screens with different sized meshes. The 

 final process of cleaning can be greatly facilitated if the cones have 

 been screened before drying begins, to remove needles and other 

 foreign matter. 



Seed should be expressed in strong sacks boxed or crated. Labels 

 with the following information should be placed inside 

 ^shippingai - the gacks . Species, name of Forest, elevation, date, 

 and total cost per pound. 



For storing, seed should be placed in bags or sacks and hung in a 

 cool, dry place or, better still, in sealed jars. Necessary precautions 

 should be taken against rodents. 



DIRECT SEEDING. 



The success of reforestation regardless of method depends upon 

 selection of sites ^l 16 suitability of the site. The most favorable 

 sites should uniformly be chosen. As a rule, higher 

 altitudes are more favorable for forest growth than the foothills, 

 northerly exposures than southerly exposures, and areas upon 

 which timber has grown than those which are naturally treeless. 

 Areas with deep, loose soil covered with some kind of woody 

 growth, like aspen or brush, except chaparral, are more favorable 

 than those with compact soil and without protective cover. Re- 

 cent burns, with or without protective cover, are, however, good 

 reforestation sites. 



Sites should as nearly as possible be representative of the forest 

 type of the species which it is intended to sow, in respect to soil, 

 altitude, aspect, and moisture. 



Sites will be clearly marked by blazed trees, substantial posts, or 

 Markin sites piles of stone. Boundary trees or posts will be in- 

 scribed P-l, P-2, P-3, etc., according to the number 

 of the plantation. Each season's work will be marked off by stakes 

 inscribed A, B, C, etc. 



Broadcasting without previous preparation of the soil wiU proba- 

 Broadcast sowin ^J ^ e successful only under especially favorable cir- 

 " cumstances, such as on actual forest land, where the 

 soil is loose and moist near the surface and some protection is afforded 

 the young trees against heat and drought. Burned areas covered 

 with down timber or a light brush cover are most favorable for broad- 

 casting without preparing the ground or covering the seed. When 

 denuded forest land is sufficiently open the soil should usually be 

 prepared by scarifying with some kind of a harrow previous to broad- 

 casting. 



The area to be sown should be carefully selected, laid off preferably 

 in strips, and substantially marked. The amount of seed to be sown 

 on each strip should be weighed and one strip sown at a time. Medium- 

 sized seed like yellow pine or Douglas fir can be sown by hand. In 

 case of small seed like lodgepole pine, a mechanical seed sower is 

 preferable. In the case of very small seed, such as larch and Engel- 

 mann spruce, it may be advisable to mix the seed with fine earth in 

 order to sow more evenly. The sower should go over the area in 

 parallel courses, using one-half of the seed. He should then cover 



